Morrin arena to close if no caretaker found | DrumhellerMail
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Last updateSun, 06 Oct 2024 1pm

Morrin arena to close if no caretaker found

morrin-arena.jpg The Morrin Arena is in jeopardy of closing if a caretaker is not found soon, says Morrin Ag Society president Ryan Bitz.   
    This would put a number of youth programs at risk if there is no one found to run the facility this winter.
    “It’s getting to the point where it is nip and tuck whether we close the arena or not,” said Bitz. “It's not for a lack of usage.”
 
   


   “I have given the board one month. If we don’t come up with something in a month, we’ll have to close the door. I don’t know what else we can come up with."
    The arena is home to Morrin Minor Hockey as well as the Morrin Figure Skating Club. CanSkate programs also use the ice.
         Additionally, a number of Drumheller hockey clubs, pressed for ice time, are increasingly looking to the arena to add practice times. There are men’s league teams that also use the facility.  Financially the society is strong, its only weakness is the bodies to continue operations.
    “The biggest loss I think would be to the school. They use it during the morning and afternoon,” he said.
    The school runs physical education programs on the ice, and play broomball and such.
    “It would be a big loss to them if we shut down,” said Bitz.
    He says they have put flyers in mailboxes in the community, and have advertised the job, that it is more than a full time job, and has some physical work involved.
    “It’s kind of demanding but it’s not hard work,” he said.  Duties include cleaning and ice maintenance, and operating the Zamboni.
    “I am definitely willing to train anybody and everybody on the Zamboni and everything,” said Bitz, who is currently serving as caretaker.
    He says there is also a need for more board members to get involved. As well, they need more volunteers to keep the concession up and running.
    “We are appealing to the Morrin public to donate one day out of the month to help out with the concession for the Ag Society.”
    For more information on the position, or how to get involved, contact Ryan Bitz at 403-823-4378.
    There is an Ag Society general meeting coming up on Wednesday, December 3.

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