Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews learned to play hockey at a public facility in his hometown of Winnipeg, and on Wednesday he thanked the community with a massive donation to build a new rink there.
During a teleconference on Wednesday afternoon, the Blackhawks' forward announced that he would donating $1 million to the Dakota Community Centre in Winnipeg in an effort to fund construction on a new fieldhouse and other development plans on the campus of the Centre.
"From my earliest days playing hockey, Dakota Community Centre has always played a pivotal role in my upbringing and my career," he said. "I believe that in supporting Dakota, we will see endless possibilities for the community centre's future and transformation in the lives of our community members."
According to the CBC, the complex renamed its ice rink the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex after the Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup title in nearly 50 years back in 2010. It was one of many honors that Toews received after that championship, but it was one that always stuck out to him thanks to his roots in the area.
"We are so proud that Jonathan has chosen to give back to the community in this way," Toews' parents Bryan and Andree said in a press release.
