New arena project in Baddeck, N.S., still awaiting federal funding

A community in Cape Breton is fighting to get a new rink after the closure of the only nearby rink last year.

It’s been nearly a year since the only rink in Baddeck, N.S. – or in all of Cape Breton’s Victoria County, for that matter – closed for good.

“Rinks all across Canada, they’re the heart of these small-town communities,” said Bill O’Brien, an acting project manager for the Victoria Highland Civic Centre.

The centre was the rink where Olympian Jessica Wong, who was born and raised in Baddeck, learned to play hockey. The street leading to the arena bears her name.

Sidney Crosby even played there, as a member of the visiting Dartmouth Subways major midget team during the 2001-02 hockey season.

However, there is still no sign of shovels going into the ground anytime soon to start building a new accessible arena.

“We’re still waiting for a funding announcement from the federal government, and you have to fight for that because we’re not the only community looking for that stuff,” O’Brien said.

“The rink just means so much to so many people,” added Jeanne Campbell, a member of the new arena project’s steering committee.

There is already a $5-million grant in place from the Nova Scotia government and a $1-million commitment from the Municipality of Victoria County.

However, the arena steering committee says it needs nearly $13 million from Ottawa.

In the meantime, it has started some grassroots fundraising of its own.

“We have to get started soon,” Campbell said. “We’ve already lost one full season here at the facility and we have a two-year time (limit) to build the new facility itself.”

On Aug. 6, a fundraising golf tournament will be held at Bell Bay Golf Club as part of the community’s efforts to raise money for a new rink.

Organizers say last year’s tournament raised more than $70,000, and a significant donation will be made this year as part of their ultimate goal of coming up with $1 million toward a new arena.

The arena also used to host the closing banquet for the Cabot Trail Relay Race.

This year, the banquet was held under a huge tent next door – one that was rented at a major cost.

“I’m sure they’re hoping for our community rink to come back too so we can move inside and have some comfort for one of the larger events that Cape Breton hosts,” O’Brien said.

For now, the old arena remains empty as it awaits demolition.

Still, the hope remains that a new one will ultimately be built in its place, so that children, and maybe even another future Olympian or NHL star, have a place in the area to play.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page