The Civic Centre in North Battleford is already working toward installing ice within the arena, while Battleford Area staff remain confident for their regular fall return to the ice. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Local rinks plan for return to the ice

Aug 5, 2020 | 5:00 PM

A hockey community through and through, it’s a rare sight to see a summer with no ice in the local Battlefords rinks.

However, due to the mandatory shutdown of ice rinks across the country back in March, the Civic Centre and Battleford Arena have both been closed for over four months and counting.

Civic Centre

Staff at the Civic Centre in North Battleford recently began the initial steps toward returning the ice to the rink this summer.

Community programmer with the city and Don Ross Centre manager, Siobhan Gormley, said the ice plant was turned on this week, as the ice-making process began Tuesday. She said the rink should be fully ready for operations by next weekend, either Aug. 15 or 16.

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The return of the ice will come in perfect time to host the first of what will be two weeks of the North Stars’ Hockey School, held this month, Aug. 17 to 21 and Aug. 24 to 28.

Gormley said the city is happy to bring the ice back and see a return to hockey in the community, as it is such a lifeblood within the community.

“I’m sure everybody is anxious to get back on the ice,” she said. “It has been a long time since March and the halt to all their activities, so I’m sure they’ll be very excited to put the skates back on and get back into it.”

Battleford Arena

While the ice in Battleford Arena is always taken out for the summer months, the rink’s shutdown has still had an effect on regularly scheduled programing at the establishment.

Director of Parks and Recreation with the town of Battleford, Jordan Schechtel, said generally over the summer months, Battleford Arena is rented out for graduations and local non-profit group events. This year though, those plans were nullified due to the ongoing pandemic.

However, Schechtel did say the town remains confident they will be able to go ahead with their plan as usual, to put the ice back in on Oct. 1. He said it will be great to see the town’s rink open up once again as well.

“We want the buildings being used, and not sitting empty, so it will be nice to return to operations,” he said. “I’m sure there will quite a few changes from how it normally opens, but what exactly is put in place is just something we’re starting to look at now. We’re also waiting to see if there’s more guidelines from the province as we’re getting closer to the arena season.”

The Battlefords community remains hopeful for a hockey season, both at the junior and minor hockey levels.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1