Family Centre ready for puck drop

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

There was finally a cool, refreshing feeling inside the Strathmore Family Centre.
A free, open skate Sept. 10 marked the grand opening of the new ice plant inside the arena.
For at least a month now, hockey teams have been displaced outside of Strathmore as the finishing touches were put on the project that began last April.
“It’s great, there are a lot of people out here using it,” said local Ashley Johnston, a mother of two. “We have been to ice openings in the past, and there has never been this many people in attendance.”
A few of the Strathmore Wheatland Kings team were on hand, joined by kids of all ages and their parents, testing out the new sheet of ice that is able to maintain its frozen surface without turning the entire arena into a deep freeze.
The refrigeration system is the heart and soul to any arena. Pipes underneath the concrete keep the ice frozen and reusable, so spectators don’t have to endure bone-chilling temperatures while they watch their favourite teams play.
It isn’t just a hockey surface. The rink is home to ringette teams and figure skating programs throughout the busy winter season.
Johnston is just happy she won’t have to travel elsewhere for ice time this season.
“My son Landyn is in Timbits hockey for the first time,” said Johnston. “Last year we had to travel out to Indus for ice time. It will be great to watch him play close to home.”
While some of the hockey programs might not have been pleased with holding training camps in Indus or Drumheller, they would be pleased to know the project finished on time and right at its $900,000 budget.
“The old plant was the original one in this building that was built 26 years ago, it was time for an upgrade,” said Tracy Simpson, senior manager of community services with the Town of Strathmore. “We have new technologies, new motors and new control systems that will be running smoothly for a while now.”
As part of the Canada 150 celebrations, the federal government provided extra grant programs for aging buildings that needed infrastructure upgrades. That is when the town jumped on this idea for the arena upgrade and was granted approval last January. It is one of several plans and renovations taking place this year as part of the Canada 150 Projects.
The pricey new ice plant will not force an increase in rental fees for the 2017-2018 season.