BRING
BACK THE ICE!
Excerpts from The
Highland Communicator,
Article by Lynne Kilby
For
decades the Kinmount
Arena has been the
heartbeat of the community
during the long winter
months. Unfortunately,
last winter, the community
suffered a devastating
blow when problems
were found that caused
the arena, located
in the Kinmount Fairgrounds,
to be condemned. The
damage may have been
incurred by violent
storms that struck
the area in summer
2006. The important
gathering point, owned
by the Kinmount Agricultural
Society, was the centre
of activity providing
a home for Kinmount
Knights Minor Hockey,
public skating, recreational
hockey, Winter Carnivals,
school and group outings
and birthday parties.
Everyone from toddlers
to seniors reaped
the health benefits
of ice skating. The
tremendous loss made
a huge impact leaving
a number of kids unable
to play hockey or
enjoy public skating.
Many who frequented
the arena two or three
times a week only
got out on skates
that many times through
the whole winter.
The absence of the
annual Winter Carnival
was severely felt,
as it is an economic
attraction that also
helps lift spirits
when those February
blues kick in. Tobogganing,
a popular activity
on the hills behind
the arena was nearly
non-existent as the
snow was not ploughed
for parking and there
was nowhere to go
and warm up or grab
a hot chocolate. Winter
in Kinmount just wasn’t
the same without the
good old arena.
It
was a tall order the
Kinmount Agricultural
Society to come up
with a new building
in time for the Kinmount
Fair but they pressed
on and were successful.
The new building is
the same size as the
one it replaced and
has been designed
to accommodate a natural
ice surface. However,
to complete the inside
rink perimeter, the
Kinmount Agricultural
Society is appealing
to the general public
to “help us
help the kids of the
community to have
ice in the arena this
winter.
The
facility opened in
1960. Originally built
to be an agricultural
hall, the Kinmount
Fair Board decided
to allow volunteers
to put natural ice
in the building. There
was a recreational
committee that operated
it at first, but for
the past ten years
or soothe Kinmount
& District Lions
Club operated the
much enjoyed arena
allowing lots of great
memories to be made.
A donation of $60.00
will build one foot
of rink perimeter.
A total of 440 feet
are needed. Any donation
will be gratefully
accepted. Donations
of $60.00 and over
will be acknowledged
on a permanent plaque
to be placed in the
building upon completion.
Donations of $250
will be acknowledged
with an individual
sign in the arena.
There are four sponsor
levels; Bronze, Silver,
Gold and Platinum.
These sponsorships
will be acknowledged
with an individual
sign posted in the
arena and their names
will be listed on
the appropriate plaque
on permanent display.
During
March Break, the weather
co-operated a little
by providing cold
nights, but the days
were sunny and mild
for the most part.
We flooded the Arena
and were able to offer
free skating for a
few days during March
break and the Easter
Weekend. About 30
kids turned out and
had a good time. But
we still need your
help. You will be
giving a gift of joy
and raising the spirit
of the community.
If you would like
to sponsor the Ice
Rink, please contact
us by e-mail
or mail your donation
to:
Kinmount
Agricultural Society
“BRING BACK
THE ICE”
P.O. Box 238
Kinmount, ON K0M 2A0
A
Very Special Thank
You to FCC Farm Credit
Canada for their generous
sponsorship towards
the building of the
new arena.
Thank
You to the following
companies and individuals
who, as of May 31,
2008,
have helped“Bring
Back the Ice”
to the Kinmount Arena
Bronze
Sponsor
$300 to $999
Pearson
Hunt Camp
Stuart Charity
Construction
Ltd.
APP Construction
|
Silver
Sponsor
$1,000 to $2,999
Gail
Rettie
J. Austin &
Sons Ltd.
Royal Canadian
Legion, , #441
The Pioneer
Society
Township of
Galway, Cavendish
& Harvey
|
Gold
Sponsor
$3,000 to $4,999
Kinmount
Minor Sports
|
Platinum
Sponsor
$5,000 Plus
Dudman
Construction
Ltd.
Kinmount District
Lions Club
|
