BY SCOTT
HADDOW
As the temperature dips below the freezing mark, many people in
Greater Sudbury long for hot summer days, but not a small,
feisty group of people in Wahnapitae who are hoping it stays
cold, gets even colder, for a long time to come.
The Wahnapitae Improvement Group (WIG) has spent the fall
preparing and constructing a new outdoor rink for the children
of the community, which is located about 10 minutes east of
Sudbury.
The project actually started way back in January 2005, and
after a great deal of political hoop jumping, the group is now
ready to flood the rink.
The group worked closely with the City of Greater Sudbury and
the Wahnapitae community to achieve the desired results.
"Our goal was to get a new and bigger rink," said WIG
vice-president Luc Joliat. "The old rink was rotten and falling
apart. There was no upkeep done to it over the years and it
was...a mess."
Back in January 2005, the group began fundraising and
approached the city for help. Ward 9 Councillor Doug Craig was
able to leverage $10,000 in funds and got the project rolling
along.
Fast forward to this fall and the group was able to put on
their work boots and tear the dilapidated rink down to the
ground. It was bittersweet for some volunteers, especially
those who had spent their childhood playing on the rink.
"When I was a kid, this rink was filled to capacity and it was
always a fun place to be," said WIG member Merv Julian. "It
felt great to make something happen here in Wahnapitae. I have
grandchildren growing up here and I wanted them to have
something to enjoy like I did."
Once the old worn-out boards had been torn down and hauled
away, the city came in and installed new boards in October. The
old rink had dimensions of about 100 feet by 80 feet, while the
new rink has a size of 124 feet by 58 feet. It will also now
face east/west, as opposed to north/south, allowing children
the benefit of not skating against the bitterly cold northern
winds in the winter.
"This is only the tip of the iceberg," said Julian. "We have
great aspirations and dreams for this rink."
Once the boards were in place, the group set about painting,
putting up chain-linked fencing around the rink and doing
finishing touches to get it ready for ice. Now they're waiting
for hydro poles and lights, so kids can skate at night as
well.
"This has been a worthwhile project," said Joliat. "It was a
big goal and funds were limited, but we feel we have a great
rink now. All of this couldn't have been done without the help
of many volunteers, local businesses and the city.
 It turned out great...it's very sturdy and was designed for safety. I never thought we would achieve it in such a short time because we didn't have a dime when we started."
Gaeten Lamothe, another WIG member and proud Wahnapitae
resident, is happy knowing that parents and kids will no longer
have to leave the community to have some outdoor fun.
"Kids were going to Coniston...as far away as Capreol to play
hockey and skate," said Lamothe. "Keeping them here was
important and just a better idea. We've had a lot of input from
local kids and they all said they would use the rink. They've
been asking when is the rink going to be ready, so they're
anxious for it to open."
Lamothe is blown away at the overall structure, especially
since he also spent time at the old rink when he was much
younger.
"Everything about the new rink stands out," said Lamothe. "Just
look at it. This is, by far, the best rink ever here. When I
was 16, I used to work here and we flooded the rink from the
river. It's a big change now...for the better."
The rink represents a new era for Wahnapitae. WIG is using it
as a rallying point for others to come together and take on
some good old community pride.
"It was all done for the kids in this community," said Joliat.
"It's also about community pride. This is a healthy environment
for kids and families to come to. There's a lot of young
families moving here and we need stuff like this rink to keep
them here and keep growing."
The group also plans to use the facility year round.
"In the future...we want it to be an all-season rink," said
Joliat. "We're looking at making it a skateboard park in the
summer."
WIG is also looking for volunteers to help supervise the rink,
which they hope to open soon. Anyone interested can call Merv
at 694-5326.
"We're trying for mid-December, if not sooner," said Julian.
"We will open ASAP."
WIG also is planning a grand opening in January. The rink is
located right off Hwy. 17, across from the Esso gas station in
Wahnapitae.
