'Just people getting together': Pleasant Hill community rink closer to reality
A community rink is one step closer to reality in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood, an area that has been void of a rink for decades.
The project got off to a slow start, according to David Fineday with the community association, because of the pandemic but now it’s full steam ahead to create a gathering place for residents.
Fineday has lived in various core neighbourhoods in Saskatoon for 50 years. He’s coached hockey and helped build a rink at Princess Alexandra School years ago, so he knows the importance of having meaningful activities available, especially for kids.
“What we’re missing is a thing called spirituality and that’s the circle, and that’s what we need to bring back. A hockey rink isn’t a circle, but it’s close and that will help bring it back,” Fineday told CTV News.
Pleasant Hill is only one of only a few neighbourhoods that doesn't have an outdoor rink. The closest rink for people in the area is blocks away with some options in Riversdale, King George or Westmount.
Joel Bernbaum is with Sum Theatre, which operates out of Pleasant Hill Park in the summer. He got on board two years ago because he said he saw a desire from many in the area to create a permanent gathering place.
Those include the community association, Chokecherry Studios, St. Paul’s Hospital, The Central Urban Metis Federation and many more, according to Bernbaum.
“It’s our favourite park to come to because it’s always the park that’s full when we arrive. Pleasant Hill is a vibrant community, and people use the spaces in this community,” he says.
Those involved hope this project represents more than simply just a rink and brings people together, something Fineday says, is missing.
“If I have a problem, maybe you can help me. If you have a problem, I could help you. That’s what can happen in this park, just people getting together,” he said.
Input was gathered from adults and kids in the community through interviews and public informational sessions. The goal was to get ideas for the rink, and those submitting suggestions were encouraged to dream big.
“That idea grew and that idea came from over there, and it was really something to hear those little kids talk,” Fineday recalls.
Some of those creative suggestions included having a place to sell hot chocolate and to also have a rink around the main rink so some people can still skate while a hockey game is going on in the centre.
City council approved the rink as a municipal project Wednesday, which means they can garner more donations. The budget for the capital project increased by $100,000 to be funded by private donations.
The initial cost estimate is around $50,000, but the hope is to incorporate Indigenous symbols and a warm-up shelter with evening and weekend programs that will likely mean a much higher price tag.
The group is looking for a donation-in-kind to help pay for the plumbing needed to get water to the rink, which is expected to be costly. They hope other businesses or organizations recognize the importance of the project and come forward to help.
Organizers also said that a rink takes a lot of volunteers and manpower through the winter to keep it running properly so they are also counting on community members to step up and get involved, and welcome anyone to contact the community association to pitch in.
The rink is expected to be completed next winter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump rally shooting casts shadow over Canadian political scene
The shadow of violence in the United States will be hanging over Canada's political scene this week in the wake of an attempted assassination on former president Donald Trump.
Anger and anxiety loom over the Republican convention after the assassination attempt against Trump
Donald Trump's campaign chiefs designed the convention opening this week to feature a softer and more optimistic message, focusing on themes that would help a divisive leader expand his appeal among moderate voters and people of colour.
A timeline of the assassination attempt on former U.S. president Trump
Former U.S. president Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally Saturday that set off panic. Here's what's known so far about the timeline of the shooting.
NEW Things a flight attendant says they would never do
For some airline passengers, flying can be a daunting and stressful journey. For others, it's a welcome experience to see the world from hundreds of feet high. CTVNews.ca spoke with a Canadian flight attendant to find out what he wouldn't advise passengers to do before and during flights.
Some Canadians will receive their Carbon Rebate on Monday. Here's how much they could get
Some Canadians will receive another instalment of the 2024 Canada Carbon Rebate in their bank accounts or in the mail this Monday. But who exactly is eligible? And how much could you receive?
King Charles III to visit Australia and Samoa as he recovers from cancer
King Charles III is preparing to visit Australia and Samoa in October, an itinerary that will span 12 time zones and test the monarch’s stamina as he recovers from cancer treatment.
LCBO walks back plan to open 32 stores on Friday as strike continues
The LCBO has reversed its plan to open select stores on Friday as retail workers continue to strike across the province, according to a statement from the Crown corporation on Sunday.
Recovery mission underway in Port Stanley after 14 year old goes missing in Lake Erie
A volunteer human chain was walking the water’s edge in Port Stanley, Ont. Sunday in search of a boy went missing in Lake Erie. Around 2:30 p.m. OPP and Central Elgin Fire were dispatched to the main beach after a 14 year old entered the water and did not resurface.
Obituary Shannen Doherty, '90210' actress, dies at 53, People magazine reports
American actor Shannen Doherty, best known for her role as high school student Brenda Walsh on hit 1990s television drama 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' has died at age 53 following a years-long battle with cancer.