By Byron Hackett
Advocate Staff
A group wants to raise $1 million to bring a second enclosed ice surface to Blackfalds within four years.
The newly-formed group, Dual Ice Development Society (D.I.D.S), aims to raise the money to add a second ice surface next to the Multiplex in Blackfalds by 2021.
The group formed in October 2016 with mostly parents heavily involved in minor sports.
D.I.D.S vice president Curtis Horvath said the major concern for ice time starts with hockey, but it trickles down to other organizations like figure skating, power skating and lacrosse in the summer.
Hovarth said the second ice surface is long overdue especially in light of Blackfalds growing population.
“The (hockey) teams are growing year-after-year,” he said. “There’s another novice team and another initiation team and the numbers keep growing. There’s definitely a need for it. Everybody is really excited to see a plan come together.”
Horvath said the group started out with a second ice surface in mind but it was clear there was need for more than an arena.
“We’re trying to get a facility that will help bring in more (diverse) uses,” he said. “Once that one ice surface is freed up, it lets those teams that have really odd ice times… even when we have to go out of town, to do a home practice. There’s such a demand on the facility.”
Horvarth said the goal has been discussed with the town. He said while they’re still a few weeks away from the first fundraiser, the group thinks the goal is well within reach.
The first fundraiser is slated for Jan. 21 at the Resolve Bar and Grill in Blackfalds.
“We would just continue to go,” he said about if the group was able to reach the goal before the projected date. “We’re not going to stop at a million, anything extra would add just a little bit extra capital into that final project.”