The revamped outdoor rink at RJ Gidluck Park in Warman is expected to see a lot of use this winter.
The site, across the street from Ecole Warman Elementary School and next door to the Warman Fire Hall, has been home to an outdoor rink for decades.
But this winter marks the first season for the facility after a $423,000 rebuild. It can now be used year-round, and features a warm-up facility, concrete ice surface pad, new boards, a six-foot chain-link puck containment system, LED lighting and a zamboni shed. It is similar to the outdoor rink facility at Prairie Oasis Park in Warman.
The RJ Gidluck rink upgrade has been in the works for the past year and a half. In April, 2022, the federal government announced that a $177,000 Canada Community Revitalization Fund grant had been approved for the project. The grant covered about 40% of the cost, with the City of Warman picking up the balance.
The project was originally scheduled to be completed in November, 2022, but supply chain shortages resulted in delays. The LED lighting and other final touches were installed earlier this fall, and the ice will be laid down once the temperatures are consistently well below freezing during the nights.
The City of Warman funded its share of the project out of the city’s Recreation Reserve. The original estimate of the city’s cost was under the final price by $36,351. Warman City Council voted at its meeting on Monday, November 27 to transfer the necessary additional funds from the Recreation Reserve.
Warman City Councillor Marshall seed said at the November 27 meeting that while project cost overages are concerning, the new facility is a “great investment for the neighbourhood and the community,” adding the cost is well worth it.