Residents of a British Columbia city could soon be back on home ice, thanks to the NHL’s Calgary Flames.
The hockey team’s charitable arm, the Calgary Flames Foundation, has donated an outdoor skating rink to Fernie while the city awaits the reopening of its arena following an ammonia leak on Oct. 17 that left three men dead.
LISTEN: Newstalk 770’s Rob Breakenridge connects with the Fernie Minor Hockey League to hear about how the closure of the rink is affecting their teams and their community.
Organizer Chuck Shoesmith of the Fernie Lions Club says the donation comes with a regulation-sized set of boards.
He estimates the total value of the gift is $60,000.
A group of volunteers has stepped forward to build the pad for the rink and it’s hoped that work will be completed in December, although Shoesmith says when the ice is ready will depend on the weather.
“The NHL-size natural ice rink (200 by 85 feet) will be built on city lands adjacent to the Fernie Aquatic Centre,” reads a release from the City of Fernie. “Construction on the rink is set to begin immediately with the goal of having the ice available to the public this holiday season.”
The City of Fernie volunteer committee is set to work with local staff in coordinating volunteers for the ice surface maintenance and will work with user groups on rink programming schedules.
“We are looking forward to working with the City of Fernie, the Lion’s Club, Canadian Arena Products and many volunteers and staff on this project,” executive director of the Calgary Flames Foundation Candice Goudie said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“We believe in the power of sport and the benefit of providing communities opportunities to play and are happy to be a part of mobilizing this in Fernie.”
Two men from Fernie and another from the Calgary area died in the ammonia leak at the Fernie Memorial Arena as they were working on the rink’s refrigeration system.
Watch below from Oct. 20: Two of the victims of an ammonia leak in Fernie B.C. are being remembered in Okotoks, where they were well-known in the town’s recreation community. Carolyn Kury de Castillo reports.
The arena remains closed because several investigations are underway.
The city posted a notice online earlier this month saying there’s no word when its only indoor rink will reopen.
— CHBZ with files from Global’s Erika Tucker
Comments