Connor Bedard is usually the youngest guy on a hockey rink, but on Monday the Blackhawks' rising star was the seasoned vet as he celebrated the opening of an outdoor ball hockey rink alongside students in Little Village on the Southwest Side.
The 19-year-old jumped in with John Spry Community School Students and members of the True Value Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, 2950 W. 25th St., for some pickup games and drills after the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the rink, which sits in a courtyard between the two buildings.
"As we celebrate this exciting new space for young people, we are also recognizing that it's more than a sports court and it's more than a beautiful area for youth and family to gather," said Sara Guderyahn, executive director of the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation. "For the Chicago Blackhawks, this really is a long-term commitment to the West Side of Chicago. It represents the opportunity for youth to grow, learn and connect with each other."
The project was a joint effort between the Blackhawks and the NHL. The rink is painted in black and red Blackhawks colors. There is a Blackhawks-themed mural by Chicago-based street artist Sentrock, whose real name is Joseph Perez, behind the rink. The artwork features girls and boys wearing Blackhawks-inspired jerseys, playing hockey outdoors.
The renovated space also features an outdoor seating area with picnic tables. The space was previously the site of a miniature soccer field opened by the Chicago Fire in 2016.
Jaime Faulkner, president of business operations with the Chicago Blackhawks, said the team has always had strong connections to the West Side because the team plays there and many of its employees live in the area.
"Our ties here in the West Side are real and long term," she said.
Several dozen students sat in the audience wearing shirts with the Blackhawks logo on them, eager to get their hands on the hockey sticks and try their hands at the sport. Several students and teachers were wearing flannel tops and bottoms as it was pajama day at school.
Claudia Peralta, principal of the school, said the project will allow kids in the community to spend more time outside and learn a sport like hockey, which she said was still somewhat unknown in the predominantly Latino neighborhood.
"We are grateful for this opportunity which provides our students with more outdoor space, resources and a variety of different opportunities," Peralta said. "Our school community is also very thrilled to be able to engage in a variety of outdoor opportunities along with new outdoor seating as well."
The opening of the outdoor rink is one of several events taking place in the city over the next several days ahead of the NHL Winter Classic on Dec. 31, when the Blackhawks will host the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field.
Brian Jennings, senior executive vice president of marketing and chief branding officer for the NHL, said the rink will help new generations learn about and expand the game of hockey.
"The ability to give these kids this outdoor space is really critical, and the league is committed to that because it's important to not just learn about the sport of hockey but to be outside and to have some fun with each other because it's a great, great game," he said.
