ELK POINT – After multiple fundraising efforts and a 17-month wait for the results of a grant application submitted immediately after an early morning meeting with Elk Point Town Council in early September 2023, the A. G. Ross Arena fundraising committee is “Thrilled to finally announce that we have received a major Active Communities Initiative grant from the Government of Alberta. Combined with funding from the Town of Elk Point, the County of St. Paul, and the community’s support of our fundraising campaign events, we are able to proceed with the purchase of a new ice plant and upgrade to our cooling system.”
The ice plant project is underway, with installation slated for this summer, the committee says, offering thanks “To everyone who has supported the arena through the years and who continue to support us as our volunteers move forward with project planning and implementation and continue to fundraise to cover the final project costs.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to have received major grant funding to help contribute to our arena ice plant project,” says committee member Brittany Brousseau. “This has been such a huge undertaking for the A. G. Ross Arena, as it is completely run by volunteers. And I have the privilege to say it has the best volunteers I’ve ever worked with; this group is dedicated to keeping this arena open and operational by all costs. These volunteers are relentless, and they are the backbone of our A. G. Ross organization.
“Secondly, we are beyond proud to show the world what the word 'community' means here in Elk Point, as we couldn’t have done any of this without the community’s support of all the fundraising activities over the last two years, which funded just over $500,000 for this project,” she adds “Big or small, every single person in the community of Elk Point helped, through donations, dedicated volunteer hours and the support of these events. I am a believer in the arena and all the greatness it brings to the youth and their families in our community. I am so grateful for all the help we have received to reach our goal of a new ice plant for the arena, to help to keep our community stay strong and healthy under this roof and to continue to give our community a safe place for children and families to migrate to: the A. G. Ross Arena.”
The recent warm weather made the need for the new ice plant even more evident, and could have led to shutting the plant down earlier this year, although the committee hopes to keep it going until March 23 over the first weekend of spring break for some last public skating and shinny. The current plant struggles if it gets warmer than -10, and “Brian (Poitras) had a scare already a week or two ago where it got warm and ice was starting to melt. Some practices got cancelled to give the plant time to get down to temperature and freeze up again,”
After the shutdown, Poitras will shave down the ice as much as possible to get down to concrete faster. Once that's done and the header area is cleaned, Cimco Refrigeration Inc. can come in and work on the header and possibly help to dismantle the old plant, according to the committee. “The new plant will be in it's own little building in the back of the arena, and the condenser will come down off the roof. Cimco builds the building and plant and it arrives on a skid, and is set on the prepared pad. Everything gets hooked up and the expectation is that we start next season on time, and in the future, the possibility exists to make the ice earlier and keep it longer if there is a demand.”
MLA Scott Cyr says that Alberta’s $10 million Active Communities Initiative is “Helping to build and revitalize sport and recreation infrastructure in 19 communities across Alberta, with funding going towards recreation centres, ice arenas, swimming pools, ski clubs, and pickleball and tennis courts. By making sport and recreation more accessible and affordable, Alberta’s government is ensuring that families and athletes have the facilities they need to stay active and engaged.
“Elk Point was one of only eight communities across Alberta to receive funding for a larger-scale project through the first intake of the Active Communities Initiative. This highlights just how important the A. G. Ross Arena is, not just for Elk Point, but for the broader region.”
MLA Cry praised Minister Joseph Schow and the Alberta government “For this important investment in our rural communities”, and Minister Tanya Fir, who visited Elk Point in August to meet the Agricultural Society and learn about the arena’s needs. “Her visit highlighted the importance of this project, and I appreciate her continued support for rural Alberta.” He congratulated Carrie Baumgardner and the Agricultural Society “For their dedication to securing this funding I look forward to seeing the lasting impact this project will have on our community.”
