There鈥檚 something in the air at Memorial Arena.
Whether it鈥檚 the all-wood roof or odd-shaped boards, the longtime home of Penticton Minor Hockey has struck a chord with thousands of locals and visitors for close to 75 years.
Matthew Fraser would often come from his hometown of Lake Placid, N.Y., to the venue as a kid in the early 2000s. He鈥檇 skate with his newfound Canadian friends and marvel over the players鈥� names on the wall, from Brett Hull to Paul Kariya.
鈥淚 knew then it was a special place,鈥� said Fraser, who now calls himself a Penticton resident. 鈥淭he minor hockey players here are lucky to play in it.鈥�
Fraser鈥檚 opinion isn鈥檛 one to take lightly. He not only lived in Lake Placid but played hockey in its legendary Herb Brooks Arena, too.
The village of around 2,000 people was home to the 1980 Winter Olympics and the 鈥淢iracle on Ice,鈥� the game that saw a group of American college players defeat the heavily-favoured Soviet Union, en route to winning a gold medal.
鈥淛ust like how people in Penticton talk about the 1955 Vees, people there talk about 1980 all the time,鈥� Fraser said.
鈥淭he arena they have is just like Memorial Arena鈥t鈥檚 got this feel to it, you can tell history happened there and it鈥檚 a celebrated place. I see a lot of similarities between the two.鈥�
Fraser鈥檚 admiration for the home of Penticton Minor Hockey led to him reviving an independent senior men鈥檚 franchise, the Penticton Silver Bullets. The team returned to action in 2022 after a 28-year hiatus and currently plays its games at Memorial Arena.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 such a gem in our town,鈥� stated Fraser, who played for the Okanagan Hockey Academy and served as an assistant coach for the Penticton Vees from 2016 to 2021.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much flair and character.鈥�
Today, the Penticton Minor Hockey Association continues to host B.C.-wide tournaments, games and practices at the facility.
鈥淭he kids today may not know it, but it鈥檚 definitely a special place to play,鈥� Fraser added.
