An impromptu game of street hockey emerged behind The New Well Tavern on Bayview Street Thursday afternoon in Steveston Village, to honour the Humboldt Broncos.
Organized by born-and-raised Richmondites Ian Bruce and Steve Sever, close to 100 people attended the flash game of hockey.
鈥淪teve called me this morning, said, 鈥榊ou want to put a street hockey game together on Moncton Street?鈥� Like a flash mob, take over Moncton, in honour of Humboldt,鈥� said Bruce at the event.
Bruce agreed and initially thought he could twist a few arms at the City of Richmond, where he works, to close Moncton. However because a street closure wasn鈥檛 possible, Bruce, Sever, city officials and those at Steveston Harbour Authority cleared a parking lot just off Bayview to host three shinny games for young kids.
Well, almost.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 my truck!鈥� shouted Bruce when a hockey ball smacked his pickup. And then there were a few leftover cars that still needed to leave the lot during gameplay, resulting in the usual 鈥楥ar!鈥� callout followed predictably by 鈥楪ame on!鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great turnout. It鈥檚 for the kids and what it does is it shows them we鈥檙e trying to inject some fun back into hockey after the tragic week,鈥� said Sever, 43, a graduate of Steveston High.
The mood was positive and everyone was sportsmanlike under Bruce and Sever鈥檚 leadership (while displaying hearts of gold this day, it should be noted Bruce and Sever led their beer league team, the Hustlers, in penalty minutes this season. They told the Richmond News it鈥檚 all a misunderstanding).
Near the end, the two gathered everyone for photos with sticks raised to honour the Broncos hockey team, following the fatal crash of their bus last week, which resulted in 16 deaths and at least as many injuries, many of them serious.
The crash sent shockwaves through Canada as people rallied with multiple millions of dolalrs in donations and tributes such as wearing jerseys and putting sticks on front porches.
Bruce said it was a special moment, one he hopes can help rejuvenate street hockey in Richmond.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 see street hockey anymore,鈥� said the father of one.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not really many places to play; there are cars everywhere and the city鈥檚 so populated; there鈥檚 more than one car per household. With social media, video games, nobody goes outside anymore!鈥� quipped Bruce, 39, also a graduate of Steveston High.
