Rink work may start in June
Support for the Central Gatineau Arena in Low is pouring in, but it’s still only a third of the way to its fundraising goal.
By May 17, $28,117 had been pledged to the online fundraiser set up in April by the Low arena association and about $6,000 had come in through direct donations via cheques or e-Transfers, association vice president Susan Draper said.
This includes a $4,000 cheque that the St. Michael’s High School Home and School Association presented to the arena association on May 3.
“In March [the Home and School Association] had our annual Chocolate and Cheer fundraiser. We decided that half the money raised would go towards the arena. I personally was a high school student at St. Mike’s as the arena was being built, and I felt they needed our help,” St. Mike’s Home and School Association president Maggie Early Holmes said. “St. Mike’s students spend a fair amount of time in that building. And we give back.”
The Low arena needs an estimated $92,000 to fix its rink header. Headers are the large metal pipes that are part of the system that keeps the rink’s concrete pad cold enough to freeze water and keep it frozen.
“[The fundraiser] seems to be going pretty good. This is the first fundraiser of this magnitude we’ve done,” Draper said.
She said she hopes that more people donate to help fill the fundraising gap.
“We’re hopeful that, come early-June, we’re going to give the company the go-ahead to start the repairs,” Draper said, adding that she hopes the work will galvanize people to continue donating.
To pledge money to the online fundraiser, visit the online fundraiser. To inquire about becoming an arena sponsor or to donate directly, email central.gatineau.arena@gmail.com. Donation cheques addressed to the Central Gatineau Arena Association can be mailed to the arena at 342 Rte. 105, Low, Quebec, J0X 2C0.