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Red Deer’s Kinex holds many fond memories for local sports teams

The facility will close to the public after Saturday’s 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. open house.
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Red Deer Optimist Chiefs forward Brett Meerman celebrates a goal at the Kinex Arena, during the team’s home opening win over the Lloydminster Bobcats in 2019. (File photo by ADVOCATE staff)

From its start as a retro-fitted barn to gaining a reputation for having the best ice in Red Deer, the Kinex Arena has served the city well for over 55 years.

But the aging facility will be closing its doors to the public after Saturday’s open house, leaving many Red Deerians with only fond memories of speedskating, playing hockey, or ringette in the facility.

Among those feeling a mite bittersweet about the Kinex’s pending closure is Curtis Martinek, the City of Red Deer’s facilities and asset management superintendent. As a former hockey coach and dad of a Red Deer Minor Hockey player, Martinek spent many a freezing morning at rink-side, supporting his team and his son.

“You’re constantly hearing people say (the Kinex) has got the best ice in Red Deer,” he noted. Of course the only reason for this is the poorly insulated arena is so frigidly cold during the winter months.

“The colder it is, the harder the ice is, and the faster you can skate on it,” said Martinek, who admitted heaters over the bleachers were turned on sparingly, so as not to over-tax the Kinex’s aging ice-making equipment.

It was the failing mechanical system that caused city officials to decide to close the sports facility, rather than spending the $8 million or more dollars needed to keep it going.

The Kinex was effectively replaced by the recently opened twinned ice rink at the G.H. Dawe Centre.

Originally built in a retrofitted barn in 1967 through a partnership between the Westerner Exhibition Association, City of Red Deer and Kinsmen Club, the Kinex served as multi-use space for speedskating meets, hockey and ringette games and dry-space lacrosse practises, until it was officially decommissioned last weekend.

Martinek believes the next step will be assessing whether the building should be demolished or repurposed for equipment storage or some other non-public use. An environmental assessment is needed to identify any concerns that may exist with the facility, such as asbestos, before any decisions can be made.

The City of Red Deer plans to inventory the equipment left in the building. Items that still have a useful life will be sent to other city-owned facilities. Those remaining will be made available for the public to buy in a “fair transparent process.”’

Martinek said trophies displayed in the arena’s showcases belong to various sports groups and will be turned over to them.

Among the arena’s longest-served groups is the Red Deer Central Lions Speed Skating Club. The 70-year-old group held its last short-track meet at the Kinex in November, with 99 competitors from across the province.

As much as club members looked forward to moving to the G.H. Dawe Community Centre, many felt nostalgic about leaving the Kinex and its staff. Club registrar Alison Wigelsworth stated that staff “go above and beyond to make sure the ice is ready for our meet in the morning… I think some of the staff are a little sad to see us go but, I mean, we’ll make those relationships with them at our new arena too.”

Whatever becomes of the Kinex, its sporting days are over. “It’s been in the community for a very long time. It will be sad to see it go,” said Martinek.

The open house will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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