Community hopes for major upgrades to eastern P.E.I. rink after more than 25 years

The heart of Belfast is due for some upgrades.

The eastern P.E.I. community's rec centre, which last saw major renovations in 2000, is in dire need of an update today — and the community is ready to get behind the project.

The centre's 16-member board of directors held a public meeting Jan. 15 to share a proposal for upgrades to the arena.

The plans were met with an overwhelmingly positive response from residents, said board president Clifford Mckenna.

“We brought it to the community and we opened up the mic and we received no negative feedback whatsoever," he said. "We put it to a show of hands and it was unanimous to explore this and move forward.” 

The renovations would include a new climate-controlled building to replace the current rink space, which is not insulated.

The revamp would also include an NHL-sized ice surface, a new ice plant and 4,000 square feet of renovated space and additional seating.

Mckenna said March 2027 would be an “ideal time” to begin construction.

With increasingly warm fall weather, McKenna said creating ice during that time is becoming more difficult. A new building, he said, would increase the facility’s hockey season by five to six weeks.

“Because we have a late start here, our minor hockey has to go to other rinks to rent ice till our facility is ready,” he said. “We put $20,000 into our [ice] plant this year just to get us by.”

It’s a concern echoed by Ronnie McCabe, a past president of Belfast Minor Hockey.

“The ice does not get in until about mid-November. Minor hockey starts about mid-October," McCabe said. "So for about a month, minor hockey has to rent ice for our teams at other facilities.”

McCabe used to coach minor hockey in the area, and has three children who got their start playing on the Belfast Rec Centre's ice. 

“It's not just steel, concrete and ice. It's the memories that are made within the facility,” he said.