With hockey season just around the corner, Jasper Arena manager Peter Bridge is eager to show off the arena鈥檚 new renovations.
After years of delays鈥攄ue to the library taking up space in the arena as it waited for its new home to be completed鈥攖he renovations were finally completed, just in time for the Edmonton Oilers prospect camp, July 3-7.
鈥淭he renovations actually make such a big difference,鈥� Bridge said.
The improvements include a new water treatment system for the rink, a natural gas filling station, a revamped Zamboni storage room and a new larger natural gas-fuelled Zamboni.
鈥淭he old Zamboni was really on its last leg last year and we just scraped by with it,鈥� said Bridge, adding that the previous Zamboni was 20 years old and logged more than 11,000 hours worth of use. 鈥淎lso the old Zamboni ran of off gasoline, which omitted a lot of emissions which isn鈥檛 ideal in a closed building.鈥�
While the final numbers aren鈥檛 in yet, Bridge said the renovations cost more than $135,000 while the Zamboni cost $138,000.
鈥淎n arena is big thing to maintain with big expenses,鈥� Bridge said.
According to the arena manager, the new water filtration system will greatly improve the quality of the arena鈥檚 ice while the new Zamboni will do a premium job maintaining the rink.
鈥淲hat was happening with the old ice was that there were a lot of minerals in the water, which was wearing down equipment and not providing the best quality ice,鈥� Bridge said. 鈥淎nd the old Zamboni was a lot smaller, so it took a long time to get anything done.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a really busy season ahead so all of this will be really helpful with that.鈥�
So far the arena is already booked for 33 tournaments for the 2016-2017 season鈥攁 slight increase compared to last year.
鈥淚f I had two rinks I could easily fill them,鈥� Bridge said. 鈥淧eople always want to come to Jasper to host competitions.鈥�
In 2018, Bridge said the arena will undergo more renovations. Depending on the arena鈥檚 budget, Bridge is hoping the future repairs will include new floors, boards and dressing rooms.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an old building and we鈥檒l do what we can afford, but the priority is really going to be the floor and boards,鈥� said Bridge, adding that he hopes the revamping will attract NHL training camps.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to try to soften up the boards鈥攖raining camps don鈥檛 want to come here because our boards are too stiff, so we鈥檒l work on that.鈥�
Kayla Byrne
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