TYNE VALLEY, P.E.I. — Embers from the Tyne Valley and Area Community Sports Centre were still hot last Sunday morning when Darcie Augustine set up a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising money to replace her community’s rink.
She had just woken up to the news that an early morning fire had destroyed the 55-year-old structure, the heart of her community.
“My first idea was, ‘I should start a GoFundMe page',” she said.
She had never set up a GoFundMe campaign before but was aware of such accounts really taking off.
“I thought that would be one of the best ways to kickstart our fundraising,” she said.
”Being one of the youth of the community, I feel we should help out.”
Augustine, a second-year university student, said she’d played her minor hockey at the Tyne Valley rink until Pee Wee, and was a member of regional Western Wind teams ever since.
Tyne Valley was her home arena for her second year with the Western Wind Midgets.
“I grew up there,” she said of her special connection to the rink.
“When it first opened in 1964, my grandfather (Ronald MacArthur) was captain of the Clover Farmers, so the rink has always been a big part of me and it’s been embedded since I was born, really. I learned to skate there and play hockey.”
In introducing the GoFundMe campaign, Augustine wrote: “On December 29th 2019 the little town of Tyne Valley got the most devastating news. Our community rink had caught on fire and burnt to the ground. To many the rink was a second home, the place they grew up, watched their kids grow up playing the game we all know and love, known as hockey. This building was also the root of our beloved festival we celebrate every year, the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival. It brought the community closer and many memories were embedded into the centre. So I am starting this Go Fund Me page for the community. All funds raised by this page will be donated back to the community in support of building a new rink. Thank you.”
Adam MacLennan, who managed the community sports centre and is president of the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival, commends Augustine for her initiative.
“Our community in Tyne Valley is full of young, go-getter style, get-things-done attitude kind of people,” he said, suggesting Augustine is part of the next line of youth “that really cares about making Tyne Valley the best possible place in P.E.I. to live”.
Early estimates have placed the cost of a new arena in excess of $6 million.
Augustine has set a modest fundraising goal, $10,000, but sees that as a start. By Monday, Jan. 6 in the morning, $1,840 had been raised.
MacLennan said several committees are being formed to help plan and fundraise for a new rink, and further plans will be announced soon.
In addition to playing hockey and watching games at the sports centre, Augustine has worked for the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival, which has held most of its activities at the arena.
Much of the supplies and games for the festival were stored in the arena and were lost in the fire.
Only the event stage survived, because it was stored in another building.
“It’s just sad we had to lose everything else, but we’ll come together and get it going again,” Augustine said.
To donate, visit the GoFundMe page.
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