Town, Band Collaborate On New Arena

Town, Band Collaborate On New Arena

Thursday, July 02, 2009 at 16:15

 

 

A win/win situation is developing for the Flying Dust First Nation and the Town of Meadow Lake.

 

The two communities are co-operating to build a new arena on the Flying Dust reserve.

 

Flying Dust First Nation Chief Jim Norman says there’s an existing arena on the reserve now, but it’s about 30 years old.

 

He says another one is needed to meet the demand for ice time.

 

“We’ve outgrown it, I think. Like, it’s used right to the maximum, the arena there, and there’s still a shortage of ice time, because we have a lot of competitive leagues and… there’s not enough ice time for these guys to practice,” says Chief Norman.

 

Meadow Lake Mayor Darwin Obergaywitch says a new arena would make the area very attractive for tournaments.

 

That’s because travel time between the community’s two arenas would be a lot shorter than in other places.

 

“We all know that when our children go to different communities and different cities for tournaments, there’s the possibility that they may play in more than one arena, and they may be 45 minutes to an hour apart of travel time within a city. We’re three minutes.”

 

Obergaywitch says both communities are still working out the financing for the $4-million project.

 

They’re hopeful construction can begin this August or some time this fall.