Community members who use a Halifax-area arena are concerned, after the facility announced it doesn’t plan to put in ice this year.
To many in the area, the Sackville Community Arena holds memories of first skating lessons and hockey games, but now the upcoming winter season may be at risk.
“All my biggest hockey games, I remember being at the arena. It holds a ton of memories of just huge games,” said Braeden Sturge, a hockey player who spent every weekend there while growing up.
The arena announced on social media this week that ice will not be going in, blaming the decision on a loss of funding from the municipality.
The area’s councillor, Paul Russell, says the announcement came as a surprise to him as well.
“The Lake District Recreation Association (LDRA) is an independent, non-profit group that owns and operates the Sackville Arena. For a number of years they’ve been getting funding, of course, from their clients, but also from HRM,” he said.
“That agreement ended at the end of March this year. And so, we have been working with the LDRA to continue the funding that we have provided to them in the past.”
Russell said municipal staff have been working for months towards funding. Over the past five years, the LDRA has been receiving $50,000 annually from HRM.
“It will have a terrible effect on the community and on the kids who play there: three high schools and all of the organizations. Sackville minor hockey, all sorts of other people who would normally be able to use the arena,” Russell added.
Area residents, such as Ellie d’Entremont, worry that losing the ice will have a negative impact on youth and access to physical activity.
“It’s another (thing) that kids can’t get involved in,” d’Entremont said.
“It really helps bring the community together. We’re Sackville — we don’t really have a lot. So (the arena is) one place where there’s a lot of physical activity here.”
Coun. Russell says he understands there’s a tight deadline to confirm funding in order for organizations to properly plan for upcoming seasons. He said he hopes the LDRA will reconsider its decision.
The LDRA declined Global News’ request for comment.
— with a file from Global News’ Rebecca Lau