After much planning, fundraising and local support, the Carter Schoonderwoerd Memorial Rink is now open at Keterson Park in Mitchell.
The community gathered Saturday morning at the rink, celebrating with a new way for everyone to get out and be active, acting as a remembrance for Carter who passed away in 2021.
Carter, like many young Canadians loved the game of hockey spending many hours at the rink and became a key part of many local teams from the Mitchell Meteors, Huron-Perth AAA Lakers, St Marys Lincolns and Stratford Warriors, eventually being drafted in 2018 by the Peterborough Petes in the OHL.
Carter who was found deceased on his family farm in 2021 from suicide saw the community usher droves of support for Mitchell Minor Hockey is his memory.
Carter’s father, Joe Schoonderwoerd says this is a great way to remember Carter adding there would be no doubt he’d be on the ice a lot at the rink.
“He probably would have been the first guy on here, him and his buddies. They’d be here later at night maybe a cooler with them… we feel his presence here too, I think everybody does.” said Schoonderwoerd.