The West Lorne Arena will soon become the "Bo Horvat Community Centre."
Hockey fans are urged to mark their calendars for a special renaming ceremony on Saturday, August 24.
The celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Miller Park in West Lorne, and will include fun, interactive activities, food vendors, and special guests including Bo Horvat himself.
Horvat, who grew up in Rodney, played on a number of local teams before making his way to the big show. He did stints with the West Lorne Comets, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs, and St. Thomas Stars before beginning his juniors career with the London Knights.
Horvat played for the Knights from 2011 to 2014. He was drafted ninth overall in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, where he played from 2014 to 2023. On October 9, 2019, Horvat was named the 14th captain of the franchise.
He was traded to the New York Islanders in January 2023, in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 draft.
Horvat has also represented Canada multiple times in the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, the 2014 World Junior Championships, and the 2018 IIHF World Championship.