The smell of fresh paint filling the air and the sounds of blades cutting the ice's surface left smiles on the faces of young hockey players, figure skaters and residents of Copper Cliff Thursday morning.
Members of the community gathered at the McClelland Community Centre to celebrate the official reopening of the arena.
In August 2008, the arena was closed after a fire — ignited by a defective heater — caused smoke and fire damage to the structure.
“I visited the arena that night ... to see the incredible damage caused by such a fire,” said Jacques Barbeau, the coucillor representing the Copper Cliff area. “This is day that many of you and I have wished for since last August.”
Barbeau said the McClelland Arena is more than just a building.
“This arena brings life into the community. This is where our children often take their first steps on skates, where they make friends — teammates — that will last a lifetime, where we gather for celebrations and connect with one another over things that matter in our lives.
“It is a place that has and will continue to foster memories.”
According the city, smoke damage from the fire was extensive, and required removal of the facility's roof in order to access and repair smoke damage between roof layers. Repairs also included insulation, paint, protective netting surrounding the ice surface, a new score clock, reconstruction of the rink boards, new high efficiency lighting and a dehumidifier.
The restoration was completed by Capital Construction and cost $1.5 million, $1.3 million of which was covered by the City of Greater Sudbury's insurance. The City contributed the remaining $200,000 to facilitate a number of improvements and upgrades, which were completed during the renovations, including waterproofing the exterior of the dressing rooms, constructing vestibules over exit doors and refinishing bleachers.
The arena is home to a number of groups and organizations, including the Copper Cliff Minor Hockey Association, the Junior Wolves, the Copper Cliff Figure Skating Club, the Copper Cliff Fitness Centre, and Northern Bushido Martial Arts, among others.
With the arena closed this winter, the city was left scrambling to reallocate ice time for hockey teams and figure skaters at other arenas across the city.
“There was tremendous pressure for the users,” said Ray Mensour, manager of arenas for the city. “What we did was ask all the other associations to give back some ice time to accommodate the Copper Cliff users. Everybody gave back eight per cent of their ice time.”
Natalie McKerroll, a member of the Copper Cliff Figure Skating Club, has been figure skating since she was nine years old. She said she's happy to be able to return to her home ice.
“We've been practising at pretty much all the arenas all over and everybody has to drive everywhere,” she said. “I'm so happy that I'm back here with my friends and teammates skating, this is my home arena.”
The first groups with scheduled ice time in the newly-renovated arena will take to the ice on Aug. 4. Residents and organizations that want to reserve ice time, are asked to phone the City of Greater Sudbury at 3-1-1.
