original one from when the arena was built and is not expected to last beyond the next 5 years, according to administration board member, Jessica Forgues, who spearheaded the campaign.

The GoFundMe campaign is the first in several fundraising endeavours the community is planning to undertake in order to save their arena.

The replacement of the entire system comes with a substantial price tag of $350,000.

“It’s a lot of money, but we were told that we would be able to purchase the system in several pieces and the first piece is $35,000, which is the goal we set for the GoFundMe page,” said Forgues.

Several people in the community have stepped up and offered to plan their own fundraisers to help, according to Forgues, “There’s a young woman who’s planning a volleyball tournament and will donate the proceeds to the arena. Another woman who makes natural soaps is going to be making limited edition soaps shaped like hockey pucks and will be donating part of her proceeds to the arena.”

“We’re also looking at applying for grants for the purchase of the refrigeration system, but when you apply for grants you generally need about 20 per cent of the amount as a down payment of the project,” Forgues explained.

“So we’re doing everything we can to raise funds in every single way we can, but we are appealing to the community to come together in any way possible to help us raise money,” she added.

The arena is a staple in the community, it’s where people gather from a young age, and a place for all ages to gather. It is not only a place for hockey and public skating, but also a place where parties, bridal and baby showers, spaghetti dinners, carnivals, hockey tournaments and music festivals have been hosted.

“When you go to a hockey game and you see aunts, uncles, grandparents who come out to cheer on a child or when you see excited, smiling kids run up to the canteen to buy a Slush Puppy, feeling so independent because their parents gave them money to walk from the bench to the canteen all on their own, that’s what the arena’s all about.”

On the first weekend of June the arena grounds are filled with thousands of tourists who attend the bilingual Country Music Festival, according to Forgues, “These events have a snowball effect, they bring a lot of business to the community as well.”

“It’s a place where the community comes together all the time, a place that matters so much the community, a place that brings such a sense of togetherness and it’s a place that I can’t imagine not having”, Forgues said, “That’s why the committee is determined and ready to roll up their sleeves to make this work.”

The committee will be placing posters with the QR code in the community so people can scan it with their phone and it will link directly to the fundraiser.

They will be posting more fundraising information online at http://www.facebook.com/centredeloisirsdesdraveurs/ where the GoFundMe link can also be found.

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