Neighbours raising funds to rebuild rink shed lost in electrical fire
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by Helen HallKitchener Citizen
February 19, 2015
They call it their “warm hut”, a place where Glendale residents get their body temperatures back up to normal before returning to their outdoor rink.
However, an electrical fire January 31 means the building, which is believed to have been in Glendale Park near St. Mary’s Hospital since the 1960s, is in need of major repairs.
“We believe the building is salvageable,” said Jen Tacoma, whose children use the rink. She is helping with the fundraising efforts.
Tacoma said they have been talking with the City of Kitchener, which is having a structural engineer assess the building and, providing it is salvageable, will provide the neighbourhood group with a charitable tax account for its fundraising.
Tacoma said the building is about 16 by 23 feet, and had two sections separated by a partition. A new roof was put on the building in the spring.
The back room had a heater, and housed their maintenance equipment, such as hoses and shovels. They were all lost in the fire.
The front section provided a spot for skaters to warm up, store their boots to keep them warm, and have a snack before returning to the ice.
It was more than just an outdoor rink shed, Tacoma says, it was a meeting place for their community.
“Sometimes moms will pick up six pizzas and drop them off when the kids are skating,” Tacoma said.
Sterling Milley, who is one of the main rink volunteers with his wife Patsy and sons Lucas and Connor, keeps a barbecue there to host community barbecues. And he spends many hours shovelling and snowblowing.
“The kids love it and hang out there in the winter. It’s their rink and they’re proud of it,” Milley said.
Tacoma agrees and said that, with the warm hut, neighbourhood kids will spend a whole Saturday at the rink.
“It’s a place not like any other,” she said. “It’s my son’s entire winter life.”
And while a lot of hockey gets played there, that’s not what it’s all about.
Two rinks are being maintained to make sure the hockey players and skaters can both have their fun.
“A lot of adults come to skate,” Tacoma said.
Since losing their equipment in the fire, the large group of volunteers has not been able to flood. They have been fortunate to have a couple visits from the Kitchener Fire Department, whose members have flooded for them and kept their rink in good shape.
“Platoon Chief Doug Voisin has been phenomenal. Absolutely awesome,” Tacoma said.
On Family Day, the group held its first fundraising barbecue and close to 100 people attended. Funds raised will go to repairing the building, replacing their lost maintenance and flooding equipment, and if they raise enough, buying some new hockey nets. To get more information on how you can donate, contact the group at saveourrinkhouse@gmail.com
Some of the rink volunteers and avid outdoor hockey players still skating at the Glendale Park rink include, at back, from left: James Bell, Ethan Tacoma, Connor Milley, Josh Vanderhout, and Lucas Milley. Goalie in front is Robbie Schnarr. Photo by Helen Hall