Colin and Edythe Ketchum love gardening.
Three years ago, they were helping to build a new greenhouse at the community garden on Lewis Drive.
While trying to concentrate on the work at hand, their gazes continued to be drawn away by the state of the neighbouring outdoor skating rink.
They had volunteered at the rink’s last touch up, helping to repair and repaint it in 2007, but not a lot had been done in the meantime.
The wood structure is rotten, dilapidated and dangerous to use, and the lighting is minimal, leaving the space unusable during winter evenings.
They agreed that something needed to be done.
Ken Coombs, who was the capital works and infrastructure director for the City of Quesnel, was contacted, but Colin says there was no money in the budget to get them anywhere close to the repairs that were needed.
Not taking no for an answer, the Ketchums kept “harassing” the city and its industry leaders until they were able to get the ball rolling on the project.
The City of Quesnel finally allocated funds for the rink in 2017, and they were able to help the Ketchums acquire a Northern Development Initiative Trust grant to bolster their capital.
West Fraser donated lumber and plywood, and Tolko offered the same, as well as the use of one of their carpenters for two weeks.
“We can get volunteers to work with that carpenter,” says Colin.
“But to have a skilled tradesman is invaluable.”
Tolko also donated funds towards the same puckboard that is used in the West Fraser Centre, which Colin says will triple the life of the structure.
The Quesnel Rotary Club also pitched in some money for the puckboard, as it can be quite pricey.
Service Electric will be replacing the lighting, so it will be a safe site after dark, allowing youth and their families to play after school shinny on winter evenings, and Quesnel Decor Gallery have donated all the primer and paint to spiff it up.
The Ketchums are also planning on adding six feet of chainlink fencing above the boards. When pucks, basketballs or lacrosse balls go flying across the space, they’ll be stopped instead of soaring into traffic or breaking neighbouring windows.
The space will be well-rounded and well-used, with even the local roller derby team expressing interest in taking advantage of it.
Colin, who grew up in and lives in West Quesnel, is excited to watch some of the local children who might not be so fortunate getting a chance to play their favourite sports without the exorbitant costs.
“There are thousands of kids that live in this area that don’t have the wherewithal to play organized sports,” he says.
“I’m told it takes $1,000 a year for a kid to play hockey, so if you’ve got two or three kids in your family, that’s outrageous for an awful lot of people.”
“And if kids don’t have anything to do, they find something to do, so if we give them something to do, that’s a good thing.”
Last Tuesday (May 15), the construction class from Correlieu came by the help with demolition of the existing structure.
Part of the class’ curriculum is to build low-storage buildings that are then sold, but Colin says that demolition is also a valuable construction skill to learn, as many injuries can happen on the demolition stage of jobs.
The Ketchums are shooting to have the rink completed by mid-summer, but Colin says they will definitely be completed by fall at the latest.
