The newly expanded Pownal Sports Centre, complete with a second ice surface and new roof, was officially opened during a ceremony at centre ice this evening.
The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Member of Parliament for Cardigan; the Honourable Pat Binns, Premier of Prince Edward Island; Stratford Mayor Mike Farmer; and Ron Drake, President of the Board of Directors for the Pownal Sports Centre, participated in the ceremony marking the completion of the project funded under the Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program.
“For more than 35 years, the Pownal Sports Centre has been a vital part of this community,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “The Government of Canada is proud to support the expansion of the Pownal Sports Centre to better meet the recreational needs of area residents and further enhance community living in eastern PEI.”
“This is an important event for the Community of Pownal and surrounding areas and signifies the completion of a community priority. This is also a significant investment in the future development of the community, economically, socially and athletically,” said Premier Pat Binns. “The Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to working with Island communities to meet the needs of residents and we are pleased to be able to contribute to this important community project.”
Construction of the new Pownal Sports Centre began in March 2003 to better meet the needs of the community. Over the past few years, the Pownal Minor Hockey Association’s demand for ice time has exceeded the capacity of the Pownal Sports Centre, with a 37 per cent increase in minor hockey registrants from 1998 to 2002. Over the same time frame, the number of first and second year minor hockey players increased dramatically, indicating a strong long-term commitment for ice time.
“The Pownal Sports Centre has a proven track record for excellent rink management and services for our users and we see no reason why this shouldn’t continue. We have an excellent Board of Directors who are all volunteers and are dedicated to ensuring this new facility will run efficiently and be well looked after,” said Jimmy Dunn on behalf of the Pownal Sports Centre. “It was very exciting to watch the progress from the signing of the contract with Southern Kings Construction on May 9 until its completion this fall. We are very proud of the complex and the support that we received from the federal and provincial governments and the town of Stratford.”
The expanded facility features a new NHL-sized ice surface with seating capacity of 450, and a completely renovated existing ice surface including new boards and glass. It now offers ten dressing rooms, including four new dressing rooms with shower facilities. Light levels on the ice surfaces have been improved and a new heated media/sound booth now overlooks both arenas. A first aid room and two referees’ rooms have been added. The project also included the construction of a parking lot and outdoor lighting, as well as a new lobby/entrance to both rinks.
The expanded Pownal Sports Centre has been constructed with significant attention to operating efficiencies and protection of the environment. With both rinks sharing one roof, the centre will achieve efficiencies in refrigeration and mechanical systems. Some of the features of the new facility include low flow toilets and motion detectors in the new dressing rooms to conserve energy. One zamboni will be used to flood both ice surfaces, capturing the waste heat in the compressors and using it for pre-heating flood water.
Under the Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program, the project received $990,000 from the Government of Canada and $1 million from the Province of Prince Edward Island. An additional $100,000 was provided by the PEI Department of Development and Technology, through the Community Development Fund. The Town of Stratford provided $250,000 for the expansion, and the Pownal Sports Centre contributed the remaining project costs through its own financing plan and capital campaign.
The Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program provides up to two-thirds of the eligible costs of community infrastructure projects. Communities provide the remaining one-third of project costs, making the program a unique partnership among all three levels of government.
The Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program is administered by ACOA and the PEI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.