ANTIGONISH – An early-morning electrical fire in late September continues to have a lingering effect on users of the ice surfaces at StFX’s Keating Centre.
Since members of the Town of Antigonish Volunteer Fire Department put it out – with assistance from other first responders and university facilities management personnel – teams, programs and service providers have been scrambling to continue to maintain their schedules, albeit with plenty of adjustments, while focusing on having as few interruptions as possible.
The Antigonish Arena on James St. – only a stone’s throw away from the Keating Centre – has become the focal point of that effort, helping to provide ice time, taking advantage of the daytime hours that are usually idle. The so-called Building for Youth has also added early-morning and late-night options.
One of the teams making their temporary home at the Arena is the StFX X-Women varsity hockey program. In a previous interview with The Journal, head coach Ben Berthiaume explained “the biggest challenge we are facing is getting the full team on the ice at the same time.” With the adjusted ice times, the White and Blue have had to navigate the academic schedules of the student-athletes, so there have been “pockets of players getting on the ice in between classes.”
Teams and programs have also made arrangements with other facilities in the region, such as the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre. With the pending installation of ice at the Canso Arena, officials with the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) have indicated they have been fielding calls from some Keating Centre users regarding availability.
During the MODG’s committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 7, Glen Avery – director of public works – explained they were having issues with the condenser at the Canso Arena, which has affected the start-up of the ice plant and delayed the planned opening.
One of the key challenges for users is that some ice surfaces in the region are not yet up and running for the season.
The Antigonish-based Novas of the Nova Scotia U15 Major Hockey League usually hold two of their three weekly practices at the Keating Centre.
“We are still in a good position as we have our home games booked [at the Antigonish Arena],” head coach Jamie Mattie told The Journal, noting that it is also the venue for their Thursday practices.
He explained that Novas’ president Shane MacIsaac “has been searching daily for options to ensure we can make up for our two missed ice times at StFX.”
Mattie noted that the Al MacInnis Sports Centre in Port Hood – along with the Cape Breton West Islanders of the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League, who practice and play in that facility – “has been very accommodating in helping us fill the void.”
He added, “As other ice surfaces get up and running, we will look to secure ice at convenient times for our players,” noting their options include rinks in Inverness, Mabou, Port Hawkesbury, Thorburn and Sherbrooke.
The fire at the Keating Centre ice plant, which was contained to one room, disabled the system that makes and maintains the surfaces for the main and auxiliary rinks. Repairs include the replacement of an electrical panel, which is not an overnight process.
“We are working with the firm doing the repairs to speed that up,” Bob Hale – StFX assistant vice-president, administration (acting) – told The Journal on Thanksgiving Monday of what is now an estimated 10- to 12-week timeline for the return of ice at the two on-campus rinks.
He reiterated that work also continues on exploring options, which do not require ice, for using the facilities over the coming weeks.
