City gains unique piece of history
By:
Sarah Rasmussen & Catrina Hruby, BV Hockey Association

An estimated 100 Brandon Valley youth hockey players, parents and volunteers stood center ice Sunday as Bryan Seaver cuts the ribbon to the estimated $450,000 ice complex during the Flannel & Frost Festival. Jill Meier/BV Journal
The outdoor ice hockey rink that once held a record breaking 113,411 fans in a single game - breaking a Guinness World Record, as a matter of fact - has now found a new home nestled in a quaint valley in Brandon.
The boards that surround the ice that these kids live, skate and breathe on have seen the likes of hockey players that went on to play for teams such as the Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils and the
Boston Bruins. These dasher boards served to host the 2010 “Big Chill at the Big House” game where the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., invited their long-time rival, Michigan State, for a rematch of the “Big Chill” game in 2001, which ended in a 3-3 tie. However, this time the hosting team came out with a 5-0 victory.
Boston Bruins. These dasher boards served to host the 2010 “Big Chill at the Big House” game where the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., invited their long-time rival, Michigan State, for a rematch of the “Big Chill” game in 2001, which ended in a 3-3 tie. However, this time the hosting team came out with a 5-0 victory.
The memories and nostalgia of this particular hockey rink will now continue on through the hearts and souls of our rising hockey stars within the Brandon Valley Hockey Association.
The reality of this Brandon Valley Hockey Association outdoor rink began this past summer with the help of generous donors, along with the skills and hard labor of many parents and supporters of BVHA. Ice time was quickly becoming a scarce commodity in the area, so this now allows the growing hockey team more accessibility to ice time, which allows them the adequate time needed to become a force to be reckoned with throughout the Midwest.
The reality of this Brandon Valley Hockey Association outdoor rink began this past summer with the help of generous donors, along with the skills and hard labor of many parents and supporters of BVHA. Ice time was quickly becoming a scarce commodity in the area, so this now allows the growing hockey team more accessibility to ice time, which allows them the adequate time needed to become a force to be reckoned with throughout the Midwest.
Every great success story starts with a humble beginning. While these kids may not hear the rumble of over 100,000 fans cheering them on, they feel it in their hearts every time they step out onto the ice that they now call home. These boards hold history from NHL players’ past, and now they hold the dreams and future of the Brandon Valley Hockey Association.