Comox Valley residents will reap the financial benefits of the work the community has put in towards helping make the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge a huge success.

In successfully hosting three high-level junior hockey games at the Comox Valley Arena on Dec. 28 and Jan. 1, it will receive a share of just over $35,000. The funds will be divided between Comox Valley Minor Hockey and Comox Valley Regional District, the co-host of the challenge.

Comox Valley's total share of the legacy fund generated from ticket sales alone is $16,400. But CV Minor Hockey also raised around $18,000 at the games through the sale of 50/50 tickets, souvenir programs, and raffle tickets for jerseys and sweaters during the three day matches held at the arena.

"Whatever the total is, we will be splitting the money between minor hockey and the regional district," said Dick Robinson, co-chair of the local world junior hockey event committee. "It was a very successful joint venture for both parties. It worked out well."

The $16,400 legacy fund had already been earmarked for the renovation of the seating area in the Comox Valley Sports Centre Arena 1 ($11,900), the purchase of an automatic external defibrillator ($2,500), and for Comox Valley KidSport ($2,000) to help fund sport registration for under-privileged youth.

"We're really excited to be able to renovate those seats and put in some seat backs and it will make it that much more comfortable to watch anything that's on the ice or the dry floor activities as well, Darcy Walters, the manager of sports and aquatic centre facilities with the regional district. "The AED will provide us a safer environment for our hockey players,"

Where the $18,000 fund will be used has yet to be finalized by minor hockey and the regional district. But according to Walters they will look at spending it on the development of youth sport in the Comox Valley.

Total ticket sales revenue was over $50,000 with each game averaging more than 1,000 spectators. The three matches held in the valley were part of a unique partnership with the official host Port Alberni, which offered five other Island communities - Nanaimo, Campbell River, Comox Valley, Oceanside, and Cowichan Valley - the chance to help stage the international event. It established a framework for Vancouver Island communities to draw from for future major international events.

"It sort of set the standards for sure that this thing can work and that it is a good partnership to work with because they have so much talent and resources within their organization to pull an event like that," said Walter. "It was such a pleasure working with them."