Dryden Ice Dogs President Mike Sveinson says it’s all about “tidying your house before hosting the big dinner party.”
And it appears the City of Dryden is on board to work with the Ice Dogs to ensure they host the perfect party and may act on some structural and cosmetic upgrades to the Memorial Arena.
There are some conditions that need to be met as part of the successful bid to host the Dudley Hewitt Cup in May 2018.
Sveinson presented a list of potential projects Monday night and he was thrilled with Council’s reaction.
Sveinson says he now feels a sense of partnership with the City and is very optimistic about their ability to work together with Mayor and Council to make positive changes.
He says the recommendations are all about showcasing the team, the arena and the community and notes any completed upgrades will benefit all user groups.
Council was presented with an ultimate wish-list of work needed, some Sveinson admits won’t be able to be carried out in time for the Central Canadian Junior Hockey Championship.
Priority areas include new, clear mesh around the rink, a more user friendly penalty box area with protective glass, fresh paint, the replacement of stained ceiling tiles in the lobby, rubberized flooring for players and transforming the storage location on the west end of the Arena to a media-viewing area.
Sveinson says in a perfect world, they would like to see new boards and enhanced dressing rooms.
He went on to say the staff at the Arena do an incredible job with what they have to work with and thanked them for their on-going support.
His presentation was well received by Mayor and Council.
Mayor Greg Wilson says he will meet one-on-one with Sveinson shortly to ensure they have a concrete plan in place to move forward.
Roger Valley urged staff to start acting now on some of the suggestions, believing most projects can proceed without significant capital spending.
Valley says he will support and recommend an envelope of funding to help improve the rink.
He stresses some of the cosmetic upgrades are a health and safety issue and need to be resolved right now.
No specific price tag has been presented by the Ice Dogs organization.
