Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
National

Fernie, B.C., Celebrates Opening Of Outdoor Rink Following Deadly Ammonia Leak

The Canadian Press, 22 Dec, 2017 01:16 PM
    FERNIE, B.C. — Snow and bone-chilling cold could not dampen the enthusiasm of a British Columbia community as residents opened an outdoor ice rink Thursday night and took another step in their recovery from a deadly tragedy.
     
     
    "This has been a huge step in the healing process, a place where we can gather again and get youth programming back on the ice," said Jocelyn Sombrowski, the chairwoman of Fernie's leisure services advisory board.
     
     
    She spoke as volunteers put the final touches on the rink, which was made possible by a donation from the Calgary Flames Foundation in the weeks after three men died in an ammonia leak at Fernie Memorial Arena.
     
     
    The arena remains closed indefinitely and Sombrowski said the lack of a rink was keenly felt as Fernie tried to regroup following the Oct. 17 leak.
     
     
    Fernie city workers Lloyd Smith and Wayne Hornquist died, along with Jason Podloski, a Calgary-based employee of refrigeration company CIMCO. 
     
     
    "I believe that our actual arena was the heart of our community and there is hardly a person in our community that hasn't spent some time in our arena," Sombrowski said.
     
     
    The Thursday night opening unveiled the NHL-sized boards, timekeepers box and players' benches donated by the Flames Foundation. It also recognized the work of nearly 100 volunteers and the local donation of more than $225,000 in supplies and labour costs, Sombrowski said.
     
     
    Volunteers built changing rooms and a heated Zamboni storage shed, in addition to the pad for the regulation-sized ice surface.
     
     
    Sombrowski hopes the outdoor rink will become a permanent fixture in Fernie.
     
     
    "I understand the city has only committed to it for this particular season, but moving forward, I think it would be a huge asset to our community."
     
     
    Youth hockey teams and figure-skating club members have had to travel to Elkford and Sparwood to take advantage of ice times donated by those communities while Fernie was without a rink.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Site C Was Tough Decision, Now It's Time To Make Best Use Of Project: Minister

    Site C Was Tough Decision, Now It's Time To Make Best Use Of Project: Minister
    VICTORIA — He was one of staunchest critics of the Site C dam, but George Heyman found himself in the uncomfortable position this week of supporting a plan to complete the $10.7 billion megaproject.

    Site C Was Tough Decision, Now It's Time To Make Best Use Of Project: Minister

    Harvey Weinstein Lawyers Seek To Identify Ontario Woman Behind Lawsuit

    Harvey Weinstein Lawyers Seek To Identify Ontario Woman Behind Lawsuit
    TORONTO — Lawyers for Harvey Weinstein are seeking to publicly identify an Ontario actress who has filed a sexual assault lawsuit against the disgraced Hollywood producer.

    Harvey Weinstein Lawyers Seek To Identify Ontario Woman Behind Lawsuit

    Drones To Help Assess Destruction, Health Of B.C.'s Forests After Fires

    Drones To Help Assess Destruction, Health Of B.C.'s Forests After Fires
    Nicolas Coops, professor in forest resources management at the University of B.C., says drones will help assess the dead timber's condition and how much of the forest can be salvaged. 

    Drones To Help Assess Destruction, Health Of B.C.'s Forests After Fires

    Be Strong And Self-reliant: Woman Taxi Driver Delivers Powerful Message

    Be Strong And Self-reliant: Woman Taxi Driver Delivers Powerful Message
    Bengaluru-based Selvi -- often called "South India's first female taxi driver" -- says Indian women must work towards becoming independent and self-reliant.

    Be Strong And Self-reliant: Woman Taxi Driver Delivers Powerful Message

    Abbotsford Man Facing Child Porn Charges

    Abbotsford Man Facing Child Porn Charges
    In April 2017, Abbotsford Police Department Major Crime Detectives received information that an Internet subscriber had uploaded child sexual abuse material online.

    Abbotsford Man Facing Child Porn Charges

    Man Charged In Surrey/Delta Border Shooting That Injured One

    Man Charged In Surrey/Delta Border Shooting That Injured One
    One man is now charged with several offences after Surrey RCMP investigated a shooting in the Royal Heights area of the Surrey/Delta border on November 23, 2017 that resulted in one male being injured.

    Man Charged In Surrey/Delta Border Shooting That Injured One