New rink in Martensville, Saskatchewan conveys Hockey Day in Canada spirit

The Canadian province of Saskatchewan has sent more than 500 players to the NHL, from "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe to 23 so far this season, among them Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel and St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn.

Now, thanks to the community of Martensville, that number could grow in the very near future.

In October, the small community of about 12,000 situated about 10 miles north of Saskatoon opened up the Martensville Recreation Centre, completing a 10-year journey made possible by a group of volunteers, their decade-long passion, and contributions from the community, several events, Kraft Hockeyville, Chemours and others.

The center includes a main ice, practice ice, spectator lounge, climbing wall, indoor playground, field house – with space for two more sheets of ice.

These types of rink investments are needed to impact grass roots programming, like the NHL/NHLPA FIRST SHIFT programs which operate in the province already.

The program is designed to ensure a positive experience for new-to-hockey families so that they experience the game at its best — to understand why so many Canadians feel an inherent love for the sport, and to stimulate a desire for continued participation.

Before the rink opened, only 2-3 FIRST SHIFT programs took place in Saskatchewan, mostly in Saskatoon and Regina. Currently, there are 32 programs across the province.

And it's all because of the grass roots efforts -- efforts like that in communities across the country that will be celebrated during Hockey Day in Canada on Saturday.

Hockey Day In Canada will feature seven Canada-based teams in action, starting with the Boston Bruins at the Ottawa Senators (3 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, NESN), followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP, NHLN), the Calgary Flames at the Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNW) and concluding with the Edmonton Oilers at the Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS2).
It all really began in the spring of 2014, when Martensville Mayor Kent Muench delivered a pointed message: "The city of Martensville supports a new arena, but this needs to be driven by the community."

The Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP) – a volunteer-led charity -- was formed within the next couple of weeks and began organizing and running events to raise funds for the new facility and awareness of the need for a second sheet of ice.

The fundraising efforts began, and they came in all shapes and sizes. Everything from community 3-on-3 events to Casino Nights, Money Ball, 80's Night Cabarets, Party on the Pond, and NHL Playoff Drafts were used to help raise awareness and funds. At the same time, these events also gained traction, bringing the community together and building momentum.

In 2016, Martensville applied for Kraft Hockeyville and was named a Top 10 Finalist in a pool of nearly 3,200 applying communities, bringing in $25,000 of upgrades to the community's existing facility, but also helped spread the word to those in neighboring cities about what Martensville was trying to accomplish.

With excitement for the project now at a fever pitch, it became clear it would require more than just one sheet of ice, and the vision grew into a multipurpose sporting facility, which included a regulation soccer-sized indoor turf pitch, a wall climbing area, a playground structure, and future options for up to three sheets of ice.

Near the end of 2018, Martensville formally committed to the project, with a pledge of $6.5 million toward the new facility.

In 2020, when Canwest Commercial & Land Corporation, North Prairie Developments and the Williams family provided a gift of land for the new facility, estimated to be a $5 million donation, the location of the new rink was placed on the map.

Then, after thousands of hours of running events, lobbying governments, countless letters of support, and spreading the word, the City of Martensville was granted $32.6 million from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

“Thanks to the MCRP, volunteers and generous donors, the City of Martensville and the entire region now have this spectacular recreation centre for generations to come. We are so grateful to the MCRP who catalyzed a community to make this dream a reality,” said Mayor Kent Muench. “This is a prime example of what community can do, together.”

In 2024, the MCRP reached its financial commitment goal to the project of $4 million. The doors officially were opened Oct. 10, with an emotional first skate event celebrating those who contributed through time and donations.

"And the teamwork did not end with fundraising," Muench said. "For example, early on, behind the scenes, a group of local refrigeration and engineering firms, assisted by the NHL's official refrigerant supplier, Chemours, worked together to design, install and successfully start up the rinks' ice-making systems using the state-of-the-art technology which will benefit the community for decades."