‘Ice for Kids’ back on board

“Ice for Kids” will present a letter at town council’s next meeting Dec. 13 requesting the group be put back “on board” the canteen project to help raise the extra $200,000 local share needed for the new arena project.
Co-chair Dave Egan confirmed this morning they’re prepared to return to the project after town council agreed–at a special meeting last Thursday–to rename the new rink “Ice for Kids Millennium Arena.”
Council also decided to name the existing rink “Canadians Arena” while keeping “Memorial Sports Centre” as the overall name for the recreation complex.
As reported in last Wednesday’s Times, Egan and fellow co-chair Les Baker resigned from the second ice surface committee, and pulled “Ice for Kids” out of its verbal commitment to raise the other $200,000, in protest over council’s choice of “’52 Canadians Arena” for the new ice surface.
But Egan now says everything appears to be back to normal regarding the arena project, with both sides satisfied with last week’s abrupt turn of events.
“Basically we’re requesting council to place us back on board,” an optimistic Egan said. “It’s like in boxing. You get knocked down and then you get right back up and go.
“[But] we appreciate what council did to reverse their decision,” he stressed. “I honestly didn’t think they’d change their decision [even though] the public really wanted the name change.”
Meanwhile, council also is pleased with the change of heart by “Ice for Kids,” and is expected to accept their proposal to get involved once again with the canteen fundraising effort.
“I’m pleased everything worked out and they’re back on board and things are running smoothly,” Coun. Dave Bourgeault remarked this morning.
While details as to exactly how and when the canteen will be run are still up in the air, Egan expected it probably will coincide with the opening of the new ice surface in May.
He hinted it would be mainly run by volunteers, with all proceeds going towards the $200,000 still needed to be raised for the $7.3-million arena project.
But that’s not all.
“Ice for Kids” also will be back in business trying to secure an elite hockey game involving, among others, the IHL’s Manitoba Moose.
Egan said he expects to be in contact with them in the near future in order to attract a game in the new arena. The money raised from such exhibition games also go towards the $200,000 shortfall.
“When I see [other towns] getting those games, it bugs me,” he remarked.