The Starbuck Arena needs a new ice plant to guarantee ice for the community next year.
It’s the hub of the community, says Vona Guiler, the vice-president of the Starbuck Recreation Centre, citing it as the gathering place for hockey and curling.
The current ice plant was installed in 1989, and it had already been used for five years before that at a different arena.
The recreation committee has spent around $50,000 over the past two years in maintenance, and know one of these days the plant is going to give up for good.
The plant keeps the ground below the surface cool to keep the ice frozen through the warmer months.
According to Guiler, a new ice plant will cost $400,000 to $500,000, which is money the volunteer-based organization doesn’t have.
They’ve started a “Save Starbuck Arena” campaign to help pay for the plant they plan on purchasing in the spring and installing over the summer.
The Starbuck Hockey Academy needs this ice surface to keep the program going.
They have around 70 students that skate every school day for one hour.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, there will be a pizza dinner fundraiser at the arena starting at 6:00 p.m, and the Red Ember food truck will be there.
