Work crews start to move out property belonging to the Chilliwack Bruins at Prospera Centre Wednesday morning. The team is moving to Victoria.

Work crews start to move out property belonging to the Chilliwack Bruins at Prospera Centre Wednesday morning. The team is moving to Victoria.

WHL’s Chilliwack Bruins move to Victoria underway

Work crews were at the Prospera Centre early Wednesday, loading property belonging to the Chilliwack Bruins as the team prepares for its move to Victoria.

Work crews were at the Prospera Centre early Wednesday, loading property belonging to the Chilliwack Bruins as the team prepares for its move to Victoria.

A press conference is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in Victoria where the WHL is expected to announce the team has been sold to RG Properties.

There is still no word on if a team will be found to replace the Bruins in the upcoming hockey season.

On the eve of the move, it was revealed by the City of Chilliwack that the Bruins had approached the city in December, asking for ongoing financial support in the range of $175,000 per year.

In a statement, Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz said the city rejected the request because using taxpayer funds to support a private business was not allowed under the Community Charter (provincial legislation).

“As well,” said Gaetz, “council did not believe that taxpayers should be subsidizing private hockey club owners. This was strictly a financial issue between two business groups – the team owners and the arena owners”

Watch www.theprogress.com for more on the Bruins sale.

Chilliwack Progress