CS8 Memorial Rink unveiled in Mitchell, honouring the late-Carter Schoonerwoerd

Family members and dignitaries were on hand on Nov. 1 when the ribbon was cut for the new CS8 Memorial Rink, dedicated to former Stratford Warrior Carter Schoonerwoerd.

Former St. Marys Lincoln and Stratford Warrior Carter Schoonerwoerd was honoured on Nov. 1 with the unveiling of the CS8 Memorial Rink in Mitchell.

The rink has been a labour of love and some tears for the Schoonerwoerd and Terpstra families to see the memorial rink come to fruition to honour the late Schoonerwoerd, who tragically passed away due to suicide at the age of 19 in June 2021. This project would not have been possible without the support of family and friends, as well as the support of the Municipality of West Perth, Mitchell Minor Hockey, Uniac Insurance and Van Allen Insurance, with Uniac and Van Allen applying for various community grants on the organizers’ behalf.

The group also expressed gratitude to many other community organizations for helping develop the project through fundraisers and donations.

Joe and Heather Schoonerwoerd, Carter’s parents, told the Times of the project, “It was very impressive to see all the support from the community around us. After four-and-a-half years, we still feel the people around us. It never started with that intention, but with all the donations that have come along the way, we wanted to find something tangible to give back to the community. This rink does that in a very positive way. It’s a great spot for kids, young and old, and adults to hang out, play, talk, and just decompress. Life is fast and includes a lot of screen time and media, which can be quite impressionable on young adults. Our hope is for an open spot to go and have fun with friends.”