Surrey RCMP say a suspect has been charged in connection to The Hockey Shop arson last September.
Police say after a lengthy investigation James Marvin Haslam, of no fixed address, has been charged with one count of arson.
The Sept. 23 blaze destroyed the prominent hockey business in the City Centre area, at 10280 City Parkway.
The fire at the shop was sparked as thousands of players began the hockey season in Surrey and beyond.
Since 1988, the family-owned shop has been a go-to retailer for hockey players and parents around the Lower Mainland.
Read more: VIDEO: Hockey shop on fire near Surrey Central SkyTrain, from Sept. 23
(A security guard stands behind fire-damaged hockey equipment in the parking lot behind The Hockey Shop in Surrey last September. Photo: Tom Zillich)
“This crime has greatly affected the hockey community here in Surrey,” said Staff Sergeant Rob Kurtz of the Surrey Serious Crime Unit.
“We are pleased that through the co-ordinated efforts of our Serious Crime Unit, Interview Team, and Community Response Team, that we have been able to identify this suspect and forward this case to Crown Counsel for prosecution,” said Kurtz.
After the three-alarm fire, operators of The Hockey Shop vowed to reopen “bigger, better and stronger than ever before.”
“We would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support we have received over the past few days,” store owners said in a statement posted to their Twitter account at the time. “To ease the minds of those concerned, we can confirm that no injuries occurred during the (fire).”
See also: Owners of fire-damaged Surrey hockey shop vow to reopen ‘bigger, better and stronger’
Thank you for your continued support over the past few days. Please read our official statement below. pic.twitter.com/hDMLNpa62p
— The Hockey Shop (@thehockeyshopbc) September 25, 2017
The hockey equipment retailer later set up shop temporarily in the former Best Buy store at King George Boulevard and Old Yale Road.
“It’s been amazing, all the support and comments that have come in (since the fire),” Brad Whiddington, who co-manages the store with Chad Purdy, told the Now-Leader last November. “Almost daily I have people reaching out by text messages and emails, phone calls, asking how it’s going, how they can help, when are we going to open again, we miss the store, that kind of thing.”
The Hockey Shop’s temporary space in the former Best Buy store is about 26,000 square feet on one level – significantly larger than the fire-damaged store’s 17,500 square feet.
See also: After fire, Surrey hockey retailer finds a temporary home
Down the road, business at the City Parkway site will be in question.
“This location, there’s so much development in the area and we’ve been here through a lot of change,” Whiddington said last November. “I don’t know if it’s realistic that we’ll be here in 10 years, just with all the highrises coming in, and this building probably isn’t the best use of space in this neighbourhood 10 years from now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this building gone by then. We’ve got just over three years and we have options in place beyond that. We’ll see how it goes.”
With files from Tom Zillich
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