2 Girls Get The Flyers To Save Beloved Montco Ball Hockey Rink From Pickleball

NEW HANOVER, PA — The advocacy of two Montgomery County girls who love hockey got the Philadelphia Flyers involved in their cause and ultimately garnered a huge grant to help save their local arena.

The New Hanover ball hockey outdoor rink has been threatened for months, most notably by a proposal to convert it to a pickleball court. To the hundreds of hockey playing children and families who rely on New Hanover's ball hockey rink — among the only ones of its kind in the region — this would have meant a 45 minute drive to another rink.

That's when local 11-year-olds Natalie Van Druff and Lilly Walter got involved. The pair spoke at New Hanover Township board meetings, testifying as to what the rink meant to them, their teammates, and girls and boys around region who love hockey.

"Last year, our Jesters Ball Hockey youth program saw a 75 percent drop in participation in practices when our rink in Phoenixville closed and we were forced to move to a rink in Reading, about 45 minutes away," said local resident Alexis Tarantino, a friend of the Van Druffs who helped organize a Change.org petition. "This rink has been an invaluable asset to keep our kids playing."

The petition gained nearly a thousand signatures. Pickleball courts, often built at the behest of wealthy adults, are widespread across the area. Ball hockey rinks, primarily serving children with a passion and a dream — and offering a far more affordable and accessible alternative to ice hockey — are much rarer.

Thanks to the petition and the public speaking skills of Natalie and Lilly, the pickleball proposal was axed. But they still faced an uphill battle: the rink was in disrepair, and would cost several hundred thousand dollars to fully rebuild.

That's when the Flyers came in. Flyers Charities leadership said they latched onto the project "unequivocally" as soon as they learned about its grassroots nature.

"One of our main pillars is growing the game of hockey and their determination to make a difference exemplifies that," Blair Listino, President of Flyers Charities, said in a statement. "With this donation, we are thrilled to help them create a space where their passion for the sport can thrive and their neighbors are inspired to embrace hockey."

Natalie and Lilly went to meet Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway and Gritty, who presented them with a $200,000 check to save and rebuild their beloved arena.

Construction is already underway to replace the asphalt, replace the chain link fence with boards, add new benches and a penalty box, and add new nets.

"We are immensely proud of these girls and deeply appreciate the partnership of Flyers Charities, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pottstown Health and Wellness Foundation in bringing this vision to life,”New Hanover Township Manager Jamie L. Gwynn said. "We hope this moment serves as a powerful reminder to our youth that they are never too young to make a positive difference in their community."

Construction work is anticipated to last about a month. The Flyers will host a grand opening celebration at New Hanover Township’s Community Park, on 2798 Gail Drive in Gilbertsville, on Wednesday, Aug. 7.