Latest news with #recreation
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Lethbridge's Henderson Ice Centre getting overhaul with city construction project
Cool new changes are coming to the Henderson Ice Centre. A two-phase construction project has begun to improve functionality and accessibility. Cool new changes are coming to the Henderson Ice Centre in Lethbridge. A two-phase construction project has begun to improve functionality and accessibility. Phase 1 will see four new dressing rooms built where a smaller ice surface once was. On its website, the City of Lethbridge says the new dressing rooms will include private bathroom and shower facilities. That phase is expected to be complete by the fall. Phase 2 includes changing where the front doors are and making the lobby larger, and renovating the existing washrooms and changerooms as well as the officials' room. Cool new changes are coming to the Henderson Ice Centre. A two-phase construction project has begun to improve functionality and accessibility. Cool new changes are coming to the Henderson Ice Centre. A two-phase construction project has begun to improve functionality and accessibility. Phase 2 will begin next spring. 'This facility was built in the 1970s—1975, I believe—so the level of functionality, currently, is not great,' Robin Harper, City of Lethbridge recreation and culture general manager, told media. 'We have four dressing rooms, whereas in a lot of the other arenas, we have six. ... At Cavendish, we have 12 to accommodate two ice surfaces.' 'The whole project CIP budget is just over $6 million, and basically, about 40 per cent is phase 1 and 60 per cent is phase 2,' Jace Adams, City of Lethbridge facility services project manager, told media. Cool new changes are coming to the Henderson Ice Centre. A two-phase construction project has begun to improve functionality and accessibility. Cool new changes are coming to the Henderson Ice Centre. A two-phase construction project has begun to improve functionality and accessibility. The entire project is planned for completion by late summer 2026. On the city's website, Adams is further quoted as saying construction is being done in phases to minimize 'impacts to our community programs.' Harper is further quoted as saying creating accessible spaces is 'central to our vision for a vibrant Lethbridge.'
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Park closed after hikers followed by cougar in Kananaskis Country
Alberta Parks has closed a recreation area in Kananaskis Country after two hikers were followed by a cougar. Alberta Parks issued an advisory last week, noting that the Highwood Compound Provincial Recreation Area would be closed until further notice. The closure also affects Gunnery Mountain Trail and Gunnery Creek Trail. The park is located off Highway 541, southwest of Longview, Alta. 'Although an advisory is in place for this area, cougars can be encountered anywhere in the Kananaskis Region and at any time,' Alberta Parks said in the advisory. To avoid surprise encounters with a cougar, officials say to make plenty of noise, travel in groups, be aware of your surroundings and keep pets on a leash. Cougar sightings can be reported by calling 403-591-7755.
CBC
a day ago
- General
- CBC
Curling swept aside? Windsor mulls ice shortage options after arena fire
The short-term fate of curling in Windsor, Ont., once again up in the air. A new city report headed to council next Monday outlines a recommendation that would see the curling ice at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex reconverted to ice skating — leaving local curlers temporarily out of luck for the next season. This after just last year curling was forced to move from Roseland Golf Course grounds — so the clubhouse and curling could be demolished — into the twin-pad south Windsor arena. That move lowered the city's public skating rinks from nine to eight. Ice schedulers across the border city have now been thrown for another loop following the loss of one rink at the WFCU Centre. City officials believe it will take at least 10 months to repair the AM800 pad after hundreds of solar panels were destroyed in a rooftop fire on federal election day, April 28. "It is unsafe to allow anyone on the damaged area, and it has been deemed unsafe to allow the public to walk beneath," the report states. The city report also outlines water damage in the insulation above the rinks while other mechanical systems are still being investigated. Michael Chantler, the city's commissioner of community services, calls the situation "completely unfortunate," and "devastating" to their programming. "There's no perfect scenario where we can satisfy everyone," he told CBC News. "It puts us in a very difficult position as administration and we're just going to try and do what we can do best for most people in the community." The city says it would cost $10,000 to change the curling ice back to regular skating ice at Capri. The move would put curling on pause, temporarily, until the 2026-2027 season. CBC News reached out to a local group focused on saving the future of curling in Windsor and has yet to hear back. The main tenant of the AM800 rink is the Riverside Minor Hockey Association (RMHA), which serves more than 600 young people and uses about 53 hours of ice each week on the pad — across all rinks at the WFCU it's more like 80 hours and $441,000 of revenue for the city, according to association president Anne Marie Schofield. "It makes clear and logical sense from a disaster recovery perspective," she said, as it relates to getting the bulk of affected users back up and running to maintain their business. According to Schofield, curlers have every right to be upset but that is a short-term thing. "This is one season, hopefully. No one wants to remove curling completely. We adapted to that change a year ago and we'll adapt again," she said. "We're looking for them to adapt now to this." Municipal staff said in the report that curling books around 14 hours of ice each week at the current Capri arena complex and generated around $155,000 during the 2024-2025. Chantler says the revenue generated by the skating groups versus curling was a factor in their decision with such a "decent disparity" between the two. "This caught us obviously completely by surprise. You can't plan for a fire," he said. Schofield said keeping her hockey association and Riverside's skating club at "home" during any ice adjustment was critical for them.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers aim to make The Pumpy into ‘Sweet Arrow North'
EAST UNION TWP. —For decades, families flocked to the northern Schuylkill County site known as The Pumpy, where they fished for trout, picnicked and enjoyed the outdoors on the 100-acre property and its reservoir. The site became legendary, and people traveled there from towns across Schuylkill and southern Luzerne counties, creating memories and stories they still cherish years later. When the state Department of Environmental Protection ordered the reservoir closed in 2010 due to concerns about potential flooding from its dam and spillway, it ended that era. But now a nonprofit volunteer group called The Pumpy Association has support from nearly three dozen communities, local state lawmakers and former Pumpy regulars to bring the East Union Township property back to its old glory and even expand on its recreational offerings. They all share the same goal of wanting to make it a destination similar in popularity to Sweet Arrow Lake Park near Pine Grove, where families can again appreciate the beauty of The Pumpy and create new memories. Many adults from the area still remember the fun they had as kids coming with their parents or grandparents, and can't wait to now bring their own children and grandchildren, association president Lou Truskowsky said. The association wants The Pumpy to be for much more than fishing. It can be a place where families walk the trails, sit by the water and bring picnics, and a place where Scouts can camp. Already people are coming to hang out, walk the dam breast, watch the eagles, ducks, geese and other wildlife, and the association wants those numbers to keep growing, members say. With so many of the county's green spaces being turned into housing developments or commercial properties, it's essential to preserve The Pumpy long-term, they say. Dave Briggs looks out on the water at The Pumpy in East Union Township. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) The Pumpy is so named because it was built in the early 1900s as a reservoir to pump drinking water to Shenandoah, though that purpose was long ago abandoned. The property is still owned by Shenandoah, though it is located in the Brandonville section of East Union. The association has already benefitted from a state grant obtained by Shenandoah to build a pavilion and dig a well for drinking water, two important amenities for the property, said Geri Sarno, association treasurer. Volunteers have been working hard to clear vegetation, dead trees and brush from trails, cleaning up tires, cans and other trash, installing picnic tables and memorial benches for the public to use, cutting grass and planning events. Eventually they'll expand the parking areas. 'This is being done through countless hours of volunteers donating their time, machinery and skills,' Sarno said. 'We are the caretakers to bring this gem back to life.' Pumpy Association members stand for a group photo at The Pumpy in East Union Township. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) The association is now up to almost 170 paid members, and before restoring the site as a prime fishing spot, they are awaiting the results of a study to see exactly what spillway work or dam work is needed to keep the reservoir filled. At best it will likely be three years to do that work, association members say. Then they could restock the waterway and allow fishing to make a comeback. In the meantime, the association is preparing by raising fish in its hatchery, where visitors can buy food to feed to them. Ricky Grabosky tosses fish food into a holding pond at The Pumpy in East Union Township. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Decades ago, summer weekends at The Pumpy were like block parties with the crowds that gathered, association members said. There was lots of fishing, camaraderie, and food, with people sharing good times with neighbors from other towns, and families passing traditions from one generation to the next, they said. The first day of trout season each spring, many would set their rods up along the shoreline a day or even two days in advance and camp there to reserve their favorite fishing spot, and anglers stood elbow to elbow as they filled their buckets with fish to fry. Many adults from the area still remember the fun they had as kids coming with their parents or grandparents, and can't wait to now bring their own children and grandchildren, Truskowsky said. 'People tell me 'I had a ball there when I was young,'' said association vice-president Dave Sarno. 'That's what we want to bring back.' Ducks swim at The Pumpy in East Union Township. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Among those with vivid recollections of his younger days at The Pumpy is association trustee Rick Grabosky. Each year on his birthday, his mom would allow him to skip school and fish at The Pumpy. He needed a ride there and back, though, so he'd board the school bus with his fishing rod, tackle box and his lunch, and the driver would drop him off at the reservoir. After school, the driver picked him back up and he again boarded with his rod and fishing supplies, making the other kids jealous of how he'd spent his day. 'It was great,' he said. Although DEP ordered the reservoir emptied and its drainage pipe fully opened 15 years ago, it is still fed by springs, a small stream and rain water, so it is now full due to the recent precipitation. Shenandoah and East Union are among the numerous municipalities whose leaders are happy about the effort to have The Pumpy being restored as a regional recreation attraction. 'It's really exciting,' said Kyle Mummey, who chairs the East Union board of supervisors. 'We fully support their work to bring The Pumpy back to its previous glory. 'This will be an asset for the entire county. And every time you drive by there, there is something that looks better. They're doing a great job.' The more work that the association does, the easier it will be to get grants and donations directed to the project, he said. 'More and more people will realize how nice it can be there,' he said. Shenandoah Councilman Joe Boris discusses The Pumpy in East Union Township during a meeting of the volunteer Pumpy Association. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Shenandoah Council President Joe Boris said the project also has the complete support of officials in Shenandoah, which have no alternate plans for the site other than allowing the upgrades to continue and for it to remain a public space. Among the supporters of The Pumpy restoration is the Mountain Council of Governments, which has members from Schuylkill and Luzerne including Beaver Meadows, Conyngham, Freeland, Weatherly, West Hazleton, McAdoo, White Haven, Hazleton, Butler, Banks, East Union, Foster, Hazle and Sugarloaf townships, Hazleton Area School District, MMI Prep, Freeland Municipal Authority, Hazleton City Authority, Greater Hazleton Civic Partnership and the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce. 'The Pumpy Association's volunteer grassroots efforts to rehabilitate a once vibrant recreation area and restore it as a place where families can once again go to fish, hike, picnic and enjoy the outdoors is commendable,' the council said in a 2023 letter of support. Shenandoah's engineering firm Alfred Benesch and Co. is now doing a feasibility study on the dam that it expects to finish this summer, said engineer M. Christopher McCoach. The dam had been in compliance with state laws for many years, but those regulations changed, and DEP deemed it out of compliance. The most likely options of bringing it back into regulation so they can close the drainage pipe and keep the reservoir filled are expanding the spillway, raising the dam, or combining those two upgrades, McCoach said. Once Benesch completes the study, it will present the results to DEP to see which options it would approve, and then Shenandoah can decide whether it can afford that work, McCoach said. Receiving grant money for the project is also a possibility, he said. The grant already secured by Shenandoah for the pavilion and pump was for $78,000 from the Statewide Local Share Account program, which distributes gaming revenue to community and economic development projects. The Pumpy in East Union Township. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)Helping to secure the grant were state Sen. David Argall and representatives Tim Twardzik and Dane Watro, all of whom represent Schuylkill. Argall said it was speaking with the association volunteers that sold the three on the importance of 'bringing their dreams for the site to life.' 'When Rep. Twardzik, Rep. Watro and I met with members of the Pumpy Association last year, they were full of stories about the good times they had there and passion for bringing these same opportunities to a new generation,' Argall said. As nice as it is to see The Pumpy being restored, it's also good to see how the project has rallied many in the region, Mummey said. 'I think it's wonderful,' he said. 'It's a situation where community members are getting together and doing the right thing.'
CBC
4 days ago
- General
- CBC
Riverview opens library for tails not tales
Social Sharing Riverview's newest library is going to the dogs — and they couldn't be happier. On Thursday, Mason the brown border collie took his time browsing the offerings at the new stick library at Mill Creek Nature Park, before finally selecting a slender white birch. He paraded it proudly — dropping it several times — before returning it like a very good boy. The return of the stick did cost his owner Ash Arrowsmith a treat — or a few. Arrowsmith, Riverview's community recreation co-ordinator, saw the idea online and worked with his team to bring a stick library to his town. "The idea is that, you know, folks come in, if a dog's interested in grabbing a stick while they're walking on leash, they can take one and then hopefully they bring it back." He said unlike other libraries, there are no penalties if dogs don't return the sticks on time — or at all. It's simply there to invite dogs and their owners to enhance their experience. "It brings a smile to people's faces that are coming into the park and I think to the dogs as well." Arrowsmith said his five-year-old daughter, like many children, loves to collect sticks. He hopes the kids visiting the park can also help with the re-stocking, he said. "We kind of think that between the dogs and little people that are in the park, we think, it'll be, you know, fully stocked all the time." Arrowsmith also suggests it helps in tick prevention, as a stocked library reduces the need for the canines to go off the trail, looking for a perfect stick. Hope Trites said she saw the idea online and was thinking of installing a library in her front yard for her dog Ducky and others. "It's a good way to meet your neighbours with dogs because they'll stop and grab something. So I think it's, I think it's great," said Trites. WATCH | Interested in a stick? Go sniff your pick: Paul Timmerman and his dog Koda were visiting from Ontario. "I've seen, you know, seen the book libraries, but never dog stick. I think it's a great idea," he said. "It's a good start. I hope it takes off. It would be great for the dogs." Dr. Pierrette Mercier, a veterinarian at the Riverview Animal Health Centre, said sticks can help in stimulating dogs, both physically and mentally. They can help enhance a dog's mood by imitating predation or acting on its pleasure and reward system. "[A dog] is just imagining that the stick is a rabbit or something like that," she said. Mercier said although it's a good mood booster, dog owners must be responsible and alert while their dog chooses a stick. She said injuries are possible if a dog goes for a bigger stick that may end up hurting them. "I've seen very small dogs trying to carry around a very large branch ... so sometimes we have to redirect them, give them a smaller stick." Mercier said if the owners are monitoring their dogs, the positives can outweigh the negatives. "Forbidding a child to play hockey because there's a risk of him getting injured, you know, the mental and physical stimulation they do get from playing is probably, you know, more important than the risk of injuring themselves," she said.
