Who would have thought the rink would have been such a busy place this summer? It hasn’t been so much with programming, but with ongoing improvements to the facility and the rink surface itself. OML Construction worked very hard on finishing the huge deck that now leads from the trailer to the fence, along with benches for the kids to sit on. This deck is beautiful and what amazes me is that everything was donated from OML Construction, from the labour right down to the wood.

The next project was the painting of the hockey boards. This was led by Althonse Delorey from Delorey Painting and then with the help from the Rotary Club of Edmonton West coming out for the day to finish the job. The boards look great and it adds to the beauty of the rink.

The biggest job, and needless to say the most expensive one, was the resurfacing of the rink itself. The surface was in great need of repairs, with huge cracks running straight across and zigzagging throughout the rink area. In order to run ball hockey, basketball, or any other program during the summer months, it was imperative that the surface be repaired. O’Hanlon Paving/The Fath Group came in and got the job done, not only leveling out the bumps and cracks, but putting in a complete new asphalt surface. It was amazing to watch the work get done. There were 11 truckloads of asphalt dumped and around a dozen men working very hard to get it just right. They even paved the paths around the outside of the rink, going up to the trailer. Again, everything was donated by O’Hanlon Paving/The Fath Group, which is an amazing contribution.

Every time I go over to the rink I take a step back to look at it and I am filled with pride that we have this gem in our community. I am also filled with gratitude towards the businesses and people who have stepped up to donate so much of their time and money to this project so that the kids in and around our community can have a safe, fun place to play. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference in the lives of many kids, and on behalf of those kids, I say thank you!

Once the construction was completed, Al Hamilton and “Sparky” Kulchisky organized an event. The “Conquer for Cancer” ball hockey kickoff party is a fundraiser for cancer which will run at Northlands in September. The Big Breakfast show came out along with Bridget Ryan and showcased our community and the rink. We were also treated to live music courtesy of the band Rend.

Starting September 4 the rink will be open Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. for basketball, soccer, ball hockey, and whatever else the kids would like to play. Also, the very popular “Wiener Wednesdays” weekly wiener roast that was held during the skating season will continue during the fall thanks to Myros Rexall Pharmacy. I can’t end without mentioning that “Sparky,” along with Andrew, will be back supervising the program.