Graeson Hicks was an avid hockey player at the Civic Centre arena until he suffered paralysis in an ATV accident

Meghan Hicks says it was exciting to hear last night that the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre had won the $50,000 Kraft Hockeyville award for New Brunswick.

“It’s amazing,” she says. “The $50,000 will really help.”

Hicks was one of eight people who nominated the Civic Centre for the award and in her essay, she says she mentioned how her two sons “basically grew up at the rink” where they skated and learned to play hockey.

She also wrote that her 17-year-old son Graeson suffers from paralysis as a result of an ATV accident last year and that the Civic Centre needs money to upgrade its accessibility standards, a point she made forcefully during two presentations to town council in February and March.

This year’s Kraft Hockeyville award went to communities in all 13 provinces and territories. In a second round, the top two chosen as finalists will be announced on March 21st and Canadians will vote on which of the communities will claim the top prize of $250,000 for rink upgrades.

The runner-up will receive $100,000.

“I’m really hoping we come ahead with either second place or the first-place prize,” Hicks says.

No elevator

Meghan Hicks

During her most recent presentation to town council last week, Hicks said Graeson received recognition recently for his achievements in Titans high-school hockey. The ceremony was held on the ice.

“It should have been a moment of pride. Instead, after the ceremony, he had to leave the building and struggle up a steep hill, which was icy and full of slush and snow to reach the viewing level,” she said.

“That is not accessible, it’s not safe and it’s certainly not inclusion.”

She pointed out the town commissioned an independent report on accessibility in 2023 that called for an elevator, but three years later, people who badly need it are still waiting. The report also called for railings in the rink stands, but although Hicks says three sets have been installed, another three or four are still needed.

In her Kraft Hockeyville essay, Hicks says she mentioned how grandparents find it hard to attend games at the arena.

She says Graeson can’t use the washrooms on the viewing level.

“They have accessible washrooms, but they don’t meet the standards. They’re not large enough and the doors don’t swing the correct way.”

‘Community hub’

“Tantramar has had a roadmap since 2023 and the Accessibility Act sets a deadline for 2030,” Hicks told council, referring to the province’s first five-year strategic plan on accessibility.

“Every year of delay is another year of exclusion,” she said.

“This building is our EMO site. It is supposed to be a community hub, yet it remains functionally inaccessible to many of the very people it claims to serve.”

Alyssa Greene

Both Hicks and her sister Alyssa Greene praised Councillor Barry Hicks for introducing a motion on February 10th calling on the town to issue tenders seeking bids on an elevator by March 31st.

The motion passed unanimously.

Earlier, the town received an estimate from an engineering firm that said an elevator would cost $750,000, but in her presentation to council last week, Greene said she called three Maritime elevator companies who estimated it would cost in the range of $40,000 to $100,000.

“Councillor Hicks made a respectable start at the last meeting for the installation of an elevator,” Greene said.

“Tonight I’m asking for each member of council to make a commitment to the very attainable and financially responsible goal of having an elevator fully installed and operational within the next six months,” she added.

Mayor Black acknowledged that council had not acted quickly enough on the independent accessibility report.

“The elevator will be built,” he promised. “We’ll find the money.”

To read the Kraft Hockeyville news release, click here.

To read the nominations submitted on behalf of the Civic Centre, click here.