Sledge hockey promotion nets award for Port Colborne

The City of Port Colborne has received a special award Saturday for going above and beyond in supporting women’s sledge hockey.

Bryan Theal, the city’s event and sport co-ordinator, and Michelle Cuthbert, marketing and communications co-ordinator, accepted the first annual Jean Lane Award from Women’s Sledge Hockey of Canada at its annual general meeting Newmarket.

The award was established to recognize an organization that has gone above and beyond to support Women’s Sledge Hockey of Canada. It is named after Lane, from Medicine Hat, Alta., who created SHIP — Sledge Hockey and Ice Picking — as part of the group of individuals who brought sledge hockey to the rest of Canada.

In a release, the city said since the opening of Vale Health and Wellness Centre in 2013, it has worked to promote the game of sledge hockey and skatability. In 2015, it was recipient of an Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund Grant that allowed the purchase 12 sleds, housed at the centre for anyone to try the sport.

The grant also resulted in the city creating a learn to sledge program, instructed by national team member Christina Picton, that runs for 10 weeks in the fall and eight weeks in the winter. Registration for the next session starting Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. on Rink 2, opens on Thursday, Sept. 7.

Vale Centre is also home of the Niagara Thunder Blades and has hosted a variety of training camps and coaching clinics for Women’s Sledge Hockey of Canada.

Theal and Cuthbert will present the award to the mayor and council tonight at 6:30 p.m. in city council chambers.

To learn more about sledge hockey and skatability opportunities at Vale Centre visit http://portcolborne.ca/page/online_port, call 905-835-2901 ext. 535 or email communityservices@portcolborne.ca.