Arena manager Sandie Smallman said the board wants to reconfigure the front entrance section of the arena, which includes the lobby, canteen and public washrooms, and they also need to do some work to the roof of the 26 year-old facility.
“We want it to be a big project. It’s been quite a few years since the rink’s had anything done to it,” Smallman commented.
The arena manager said the board is hoping to make the whole entrance and lobby, including the washrooms and canteen, more easily accessible by persons with mobility issues. They would also like to make room for sit-down dining in the canteen and open up a wall so that activities on the ice can be viewed from the canteen.
The renovations, she said, will likely require the assistance of an engineer to ensure the structural integrity of the building is not compromised.
It’s been a busy year at the arena, topped off by an inspired campaign to win Hockeyville.
Smallman said the Senior Maroons, who were crowned West Prince Senior Hockey League champions the same night O’Leary made the national finals of Hockeyville were a great benefit for the arena. They filled the arena during their 10 home regular season and play-off games. The Bantam Warriors who wrapped up their season Wednesday night also drew well. The arena had a seven team rec league, a team in a women’s rec league, an oldtimers night and, of course, lots of minor hockey and figure skating ice time. There was only limited ice time available during the season for birthday parties and casual rentals, the manager noted.
Smallman said the rink board is very pleased with the efforts of the volunteer committee that spearheaded O’Leary’s Hockeyville bid, and the people all over P.E.I. and beyond whose votes helped advance O’Leary from Top-10 to Final Two in the national competition.
Party time
The voting to decide the overall Kraft Hockeyville 2017 champion has been completed but the results will not be made known until April 1 during parties held at both the O’Leary arena, the East finalist, and at the arena in Ituna, Saskatchewan, the competition’s West finalist.
Both arenas are already assured $100,000 from Kraft Hockeyville for arena upgrades. What will be announced on April 1 is the community that gets the Kraft Hockeyville trophy and the opportunity to host a 2017-18 NHL pre-season exhibition game.
Smallman said a busy ice season comes to a close in O’Leary this weekend. The ice plant will be switched off this Saturday and staff will start removing the ice on Monday, giving them just the rest of the week to dry up and warm up the Arena floor for the big party next Saturday.