Around three years ago, after spending countless dollars renovating the Bryson R.A. building, the baseball field and play-structures among other things R.A. President Julie Ryan said it was time prioritize renovating the community rink.

“That’s it, now we need a new rink,” said Ryan. “There’s nothing else that needs work except for the rink. It’s probably at least 40 years old and the boards are still the original boards.

For Lions Club member Paul Lacroix, the project is a priority among community residents

Lacroix believes building a new rink and keeping as many recreational avenues open for the local youth is key to keeping them in the community, in the long term.

“I think helping the younger people with the rink, they need that,” said Lacroix. “It’s something to do in the winter and it benefits everybody when you come down to it. You just benefit this generation and the next generation after that.”

With the help of a bank loan, grants and countless generous donations, Ryan believes this most recent cheque from the Lions Club is the last piece of the puzzle.

“This is going to put us ahead of the game, I think,” said Ryan.

The rink, which costs around $90,000, has financially been taken care of, according to Ryan.

Having lived in the Pontiac her entire life, Ryan was emotional when asked about what the community meant to her. She said giving back to the youth is the least she can do as a parent and community member.

With plans to make the rink a year-round attraction for youth in the community, Ryan said the the R.A. will get basketball nets installed as well as skateboard ramps among other accessories to make it as summer-sport friendly as possible.

“It’s going to have fiberglass boards,” said Ryan. “It’s got a cement base, so we’re hoping that when we have events in the summer the kids can use their skateboards bikes and stuff.”

With the cement base already installed, Ryan said that ice will now freeze much faster than it used to, as water won’t seep into the grass surface, thus making the skating conditions much better sooner.

Once the weather starts to get a little warmer, a construction team will install the new boards. According to Ryan, the installation was supposed to take place before the winter, however the weather got too cold too fast.

“The fiberglass needs to be at a certain temperature to drill,” said Ryan. “It can’t be done in the cold or it will crack.”

Construction of the rink should begin once the weather gets warm and it could potentially be open by the month of May, Ryan said.

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!