Lumby’s $3.5M hockey arena renovations complete

The $3.5-million renovation of Lumby's Pat Duke Memorial Arena is now complete.

The renovations that added multiple new change rooms were made possible following Lumby's 2016 Kraft Hockeyville win, combined with a Telus community grant and a $2.56 million contribution from the federal Gas Tax Fund.

"This project was a long time coming for female hockey athletes in the community," White Valley Parks, Recreation and Culture Advisory Committee chair Rick Fairbairn said in the release. "The Pat Duke Memorial Arena is such a tremendous community asset. I am so pleased that this project will not only provide a better experience for its users but also help ensure that it continues to serve our local athletes of the future."

The construction which started in April added four new change rooms, a new players’ entrance and viewing area, as well as renovating referee change rooms and a complete renovation of two other change rooms.

The pandemic has forced the opening celebrations to go virtual which will take place at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 17, with the release of a video tour of the new facilities as well as congratulatory messages from notable community members and a hockey VIP.

"While it is not the celebration we may have imagined, it’s so great that we can have a shared moment together, even virtually, to mark this achievement and look forward to piling into the old barn (arena) together again in the future," Village of Lumby Mayor Kevin Acton said in the release.

The video will be posted to the Regional District North Okanagan website, and well as being streamed to a "barn load" of people on the Lumby Kraft Hockeyville Facebook page.

"It’s really great to see that the federal Gas Tax Fund has helped make it easier for girls and women to nurture their hockey talents in the Regional District of North Okanagan," federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna said in the release.

"These renovations to the Pat Duke Memorial Arena show how important investing in recreational infrastructure is to creating dynamic inclusive communities where everyone has the opportunity to participate in the sports they love. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

The Regional District has also posted a 3D tour of the arena on its website here.

The media release says the bleachers were removed due to COVID-19 restrictions prohibiting spectators during the 2020/2021 season but will be reinstalled in the future.

The virtual celebration takes place at 5: 30 p.m. Dec. 17 and can be watched here.

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