Southeast rec centre raises enough money to start arena construction

Construction will begin this fall on a new arena at the Family Leisure Centre in southeast Calgary after the city pledged Wednesday to contribute $9.5 million to the project.

With that commitment, the centre said, it has secured $17.8 million of the $19.5 million cost and can go ahead with adding a second arena to the facility and with renovating the entrance, change rooms and parking.

In 2006, a report found a severe shortage of arenas in the city, especially in the southeast, Calgary's fastest growing quadrant.

"We could use up to a dozen of these facilities. This will go a long way, right away to starting, to addressing the need in the southeast area," said Mayor Dave Bronconnier.

"This facility will be expanded within a year from now and when you look at it, it is literally chipping away at a very large issue, in addressing the shortage of recreational facilities in Calgary."

Organizers at the 25-year-old leisure centre have seen construction costs double since they started fundraising three years ago, said Jack Redekop, the facility's president.

Bronconnier acknowledged most new recreation centres can't proceed without major corporate help.

In addition to the municipal funding, Southcentre Mall is donating $300,000 and Trico Homes has committed $1.5 million over 10 years. The leisure centre will be renamed the Trico Centre for Family Wellness.

A new arena to provide extra ice time is long overdue, said parents of hockey players who have to squeeze in practices and games early in the morning or late at night, all over the city and sometimes out of town.

"It doesn't help them learn hockey and it probably doesn't help them when they go to school after getting up at 5:30 in the morning," said Brent Bodtker, a novice boys' coach with Bow Valley Hockey Society andthe father of a young player.

"I'm sure they would be better students and better hockey players if they could practice on evenings and on weekends."

The new arena is scheduled to be completed by October 2009.