It’s mid-November at the time of writing this, and we’ve started flooding the rink. This is most unusual. In all my years, I have never been able to start until the end of November and sometimes, not until mid-December. For some, winter has come too soon. However, cold weather in November only means that we will be opening for skating much sooner.

For us ODR (Out Door Rink) enthusiasts, we can’t wait to strap on the skates and get out on the outdoor ice. My two boys and a few neighbourhood kids keep asking, “When’s the rink going to be ready?” By the time this issue of the paper comes out in early December, I can guarantee you the ice will be ready for skating. So come on down to the rink, lace up your skates and enjoy the winter with your community.

The McCauley community skating rink has been accepted into the Aviva Community Fund competition which contributes $1,000,000 to create positive change in communities across Canada. The idea came from Jack Basterash from Challenge Insurance who submitted it to Aviva. A big thank you goes out to Jack for helping bring attention to the rink and our community. I also would like to thank Al Hamilton and Lyle Kulchisky (Sparky), for bringing the attention of local media to help get the word out. As of today, we are in the third round of qualifying and would like to have your votes. Please go to www.avivacommunityfund.org, search for McCauley Rink Project, and follow the link to vote.

We are also in the middle of picking a day for the McCauley Cup (December 27 or 28), which is the Edmonton Beat Cops hockey game with the community. Please watch for a flier or posters in the neighbourhood, or you can contact me at (780) 729-4363.

The rink hours are:
M-T-T-F 4:30-9:30 p.m.
Wednesday 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Saturday 1-8 p.m. and Sunday 1-8 p.m.