Momentum continues to grow for a Martensville, Sask., community group looking to lay the ground work for a new hockey arena.
“This place is buzzing all the time from August up until the end of March and into April,” said Jesse Reis after finishing up a skate at the Martensville Sports Centre. “This is our only ice rink in town. It’s been great for us, it was community built. We need another sheet for sure.”
About four years ago the Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP) started the conversation about building a second arena in the rapidly growing city just minutes north of Saskatoon. Reis is the chair of the parent-run organization and since 2014 the group has raised $250,000.
The bulk of the funds come from five events the MCRP holds throughout the year including a fantasy hockey draft, a three-on-three tournament, a summer five and 10-kilometre run, a street hockey tournament and a cabaret.
Reis said the City of Martensville has supported the group’s efforts thus far; they’ve also ear-marked $6.5 million for the project. Martensville also won $25,000 from Kraft Hockeyville in 2018 after cracking the list for the top four finalists.
But as the city continues to grow, the need for another hockey rink will only increase.
“We’re upwards of 30 hockey teams now across all ages and a lot are at our youngest group,” Reis said, adding the city has up to eight initiation teams.
With the rink booked throughout the week from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.., Reis projects they run about 1,700 hours of ice time across all age groups and leagues. Another rink would help alleviate some of the pressure, but it will also bring the opportunity to host a home tournament.
The current Martensville Sports Centre was a community built arena according to Reis, it was built in the early 1980’s
For more information and to learn more about the project visit www.mcrp.ca
