A project that has been in the works for years has now had it’s official opening.
On Sunday, March 1st, the Midlandvale Community Hall Association held a grand opening ceremony and event to celebrate the grand opening of the new Midland Outdoor Rink. According to Cindy Sereda, member of the Midlandvale Community Hall Association and the ODR Committee, this outdoor rink project has been in the works now for about 6 years. Drumheller Mayor Tony Miglecz along with a number of Town Councillors were on hand at the event, with Mayor Miglecz speaking on behalf of the Town of Drumheller.
The event invited supporters to attend as well as community members. It was a great moment as one of the longest standing residents in Midland, Olga Sereda, had the honour of cutting the ribbon with her great grandchildren to officially open the new outdoor rink. The rink itself is one of only a few fully accessible outdoor rinks in the province. The board was also able to attain a Zamboni to care and resurface the ice throughout the winter.
The fundraising was key for the facility with support from the Province of Alberta through the Community Facility Enhancement Program. There are numerous supporters and the facility has a large donor wall sign acknowledging all that provided support for the project. Although the final numbers were not shared, estimates are that the upgraded facility has a cost nearing one million dollars.
The new rink is also a place to enjoy all year long with the installation of basketball hoops so that the rink can be used throughout the summer. There are also plans for outdoor pickleball courts to be available to be set up for use.
The new facility has accessible washrooms, a heated dressing room for users, and a shop area for the Zamboni.
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