Speed skating oval will benefit Common, community rinks
Posted Oct 6, 2010 06:03:31 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The outdoor skating rink on the Halifax Common isn’t even finished yet, but already there’s some people who can’t wait for it to be dismantled.
The artificial ice surface will be front and center during the Canada Games in February.
And when the games wrap up, the rink will be removed – with benefits to the Common and some community rinks.
“Total costs of the capital project is about 2.1 million,” says Terry Gallagher, HRM’s manager of facility development. “Part of that is work that we’re doing on the fields, which will be part fo the legacy, and the other is for the equipment, which will all be reused.”
Gallagher says the North Common will have improved drainage as a result of work done in preparation for the oval’s construction.
He also says staff made the decision to buy icemaking rather than renting or leasing it, meaning the equipment can be used for upgrades at other muncipal facilities.
“We expect that the Spryfield Lions Rink will get one unit,” said Gallagher. “We’re looking at that as part fo our capital contribution to that building.”
Ryan Brennan, chair of the community board taking over the Spryfield arena, says there’s been talk about a chiller being donated to their rink.
“We hadn’t ever received any particular confirmation that we would end up with one of them, so this sounds like good news for us,” he said. “I think it’s certainly nice, and a good story to come out of the Canada Games, to have benefits to the various communities in HRM.”
Brennan says their current ice plant dates back to the seventies.
