First, the good news.
Armstrong Spallumcheen Parks and Recreation has done a great job of marketing and booking its available ice time at the Nor-Val Sports Centre.
The problem?
Parks and rec has done such a good job there is no more ice time to rent.
That has led the Armstrong Spallumcheen Parks and Recreation Commission to give general manager Byron Sayer the go-ahead to investigate the feasibility of building an outdoor rink at the back of the Nor-Val Sports Centre on city-owned property.
“Right now, things are very preliminary,” said Sayer.
“We have no prime ice left, it’s so booked up. If you want to come in and do public skating or rent the ice to play shinny hockey with your friends, the ice demand is just too high and we’re just not meeting all of those needs.”
An outdoor rink could piggy-back on the existing Nor-Val Sports Centre’s ice plant.
“We are looking at possibly already having the infrastructure in place to build upon and build an outdoor refrigerated rink,” said Sayer. “Our climate, of course, isn’t always conducive to straight outdoor rinks, but one with refrigeration lines built-in would do the job.”
Armstrong Coun. Kelly Rowe thinks it would be awesome to add an outdoor rink.
“There is talk about having it covered, but for sure that’s not in the budget,” said Rowe.
“At this point, Byron is getting some numbers together and see if it’s doable at all.”
