It’s well into November, but the rink in New Waterford, N.S., only opened for the season a few days ago. That is roughly two and a half weeks later than the normal start of hockey season in the community. “We decided to put in a new plant,” explained Kevin Forward, manager of the New Waterford and District Community Centre. The new ice-making machinery took some extra time before coming into operation. “It was ordered early in the spring, but we had a delay getting it coming in,” Forward said. At more than 50 years old, the arena in New Waterford is one of the oldest left on Cape Breton Island. Last Thursday - the same day Forward’s ice was finally ready - the federal budget promised $750 million to build and renovate rinks around the country. However, there are questions about how the money would be distributed and which arenas might qualify. “I’m sure now that tomorrow I’ll be on the phone and we will be looking into it,” Forward said. “If we could upgrade to a new building we would, but if there is extra money out there, would it help us do the upgrades we want here? I’m pleased with either one.” More than an hour down the highway, the 50-year-old Richmond Arena in Louisdale, N.S., still is not open for the season. The ice is not expected to be ready until later this month. “We have actually already applied for federal funding and to date, we haven’t been eligible,” Richmond County warden Lois Landry said of earlier attempts to land money from Ottawa for arena upgrades. Richmond County is planning a $5 million retrofit to the arena that its warden says would take 25 years to pay off, so they are optimistic they might qualify under the new proposed budget funding. “By the time we finish paying for this retrofit the arena will be 75 years old,” Landry said. “So, we are going to have to look at new capacity at some point. So it is reassuring to see the federal government pour dollars into this.” Landry added that ice time in the Quad Counties has been at a premium lately, particularly given the closure of the two ice surfaces at the Keating Millennium Centre in Antigonish, N.S., after a fire at the building in September. At the rink in New Waterford, they are also bracing for any renovations - or rink replacements - to be impacted by rising costs. “The way prices are going, I would say it would probably be in the $20 million range to upgrade this here place, here,” Forward said. “To build a new one? Probably double it.” According to the budget details tabled last week, the proposed funding for rinks would be spread out over nine years. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
