DETROIT —The East Side Hockey Foundation plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony next week at the newly named East Side Hockey Foundation Ice Arena where it will announce details about its $1.3 million capital campaign.
The foundation, a recently formed nonprofit, has acquired and renamed the Grosse Pointe Community Rink, planning to renovate the venue and grow youth hockey in Detroit to help revitalize the surrounding community.
“Hockey provides players important life skills that will assist them on and off the ice,” says Brian Francis, president of the board of directors. “We’ve been working with local neighborhoods to make hockey accessible and affordable for all children, regardless of the income level of the family, and we’re ready to take this effort to the next level.”
The celebration will be held at 4 p.m. on Feb. 7, when the foundation will unveil the new meeting room and pro-shop in addition to disclosing details about the campaign.
Guests will include Detroit Red Wings alumnus Kirk Maltby, Grosse Pointe Shores Mayor Ted Kedzierski, and Grosse Pointe Farms Mayor James C. Farquhar Jr.
East Side Hockey Foundation has provided equipment and subsidized ice-time and has given scholarships to local families in need. The organization donated 200 sets of equipment to children ages 3-8 as part of its Learn to Play Hockey 8U program and reduced ice-time costs at the arena up to 72 percent during the 2014/2015 season, which represented a savings of $95,000 for local families.
The organization also hosts Try Hockey for Free days at the arena, which gives local kids the chance to step on the ice and experience the thrill of hockey at no cost. The next Try Hockey for Free day will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 21.
