Local organizations donate $225,000 to refurbish Verlo Playfield in Tacoma

TACOMA — The Seattle Kraken, Virginia Mason, The National Hockey League, and One Roof Foundation have donated $225,000 to refurbish Verlo Playfield in Tacoma in partnership with Metro Parks.

The grant is “a legacy to the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic.”

The upgrades to the Playfield will include permanent sports equipment, a new court with freshly painted lines, and a community-inspired mural created by a local artist.

“One Roof Foundation is honored to partner with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and the NHL for this project,” said Mari Horita, Seattle Kraken Senior Vice President. “The renovation of Verlo Playfield in Tacoma marks a significant step in our commitment to enhancing sports access for youth across the Puget Sound”

Additionally, the League is donating a set of NHL STREET-branded portable boards to the Kraken to celebrate the arrival of the NHL STREET in Seattle.

“The NHL believes in the power and promise of street hockey, not just because it is an affordable way to play, but because it addresses myriad pressures and expectations of kids and their parents today,” said Kim Davis, NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact

A group celebrated the donation on Saturday by inviting local children to the ceremonial groundbreaking along with NHL alumni JT Brown and Andrew Ference and Kraken mascot Buoy.

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