For many Canadians growing up in this country, winter spells the beginning of outdoor hockey season.
As temperatures continue to fall in southeastern Ontario, more and more outdoor rinks are open — and skaters in Belleville now have another option.
On Sunday, dozens of Belleville residents came together to officially open the Sylvain Routhier Outdoor Rink. In attendance were City of Belleville representatives, minor hockey players and parents as well as members of the Ontario Provincial Police.
The rink is named after Sylvain Routhier, a 13-year OPP sergeant who worked in the tactics and rescue unit. Routhier, 37, died by suicide on July 31, 2018, leaving behind three children and his wife, Sarah.
Since September, Sarah and others in the community have banded together to come up with a way to celebrate Routhier’s life through one of his true passions: hockey.
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“When there were talks about getting an ice rink, it just made sense to donate the boards and get it going here so the kids can enjoy it,” said Sarah.
From the time his children were young, Routhier used to build a rink in the family’s backyard. But when Sarah and the children moved into a new home a few months ago, they decided to take the rink and set it up in Bird Park.
Sarah received help from several different people and businesses, such as Duvanco Homes, which picked up boards from the family’s home and reconstructed the rink to a size of 100 feet by 55 feet.
The Belleville Fire Department filled the rink with water, and to keep it lit during the dusk hours, Sarah’s brother, who lives nearby, donated lighting that is generated from his home.
Routhier served as a coach and trainer for Belleville Minor Hockey and welcomed players from the OHL’s Belleville Bulls and Junior C Picton Pirates into his home as a billet family.
Sarah told Global News that she is actively developing a charity to raise awareness for post-traumatic stress disorder in the hopes that she can help to prevent others who suffer from mental health challenges from feeling they have no option but to take their own life — and in so doing, her husband’s legacy will live on beyond just the winter season.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you or someone you know may be suffering from mental health issues.
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