After countless hours of volunteer work, sizable community grants and support from local business, a project to restore a Grief Point landmark is nearly complete.
Over the summer, volunteers connected with Powell River Christian School have been labouring away at the ball hockey rink on the school’s property. And what has emerged from work on the rundown court is a state-of-the-art, multi-sports facility.
Powell River Christian School bought the old Grief Point Elementary School in 2013 for its permanent home. Local businessperson Tod English, alongside Gino Amato, approached the Christian school’s board with the concept of refurbishing the ball hockey court. It’s a place which holds fond memories for English who spent many hours there as a child growing up in the neighbourhood. “The board has been extremely supportive and very community-minded in its vision to have the school grounds improved and brought to a level that both the school and the community can be proud of,” said English.
“The project grew legs from resurfacing, putting up fencing and buying a couple of nets to putting up boards and making it a multi-sport court,” he said, adding that the community court, with its tennis court-like surface, can be used for a variety of sports including pickle ball, basketball, ball hockey and lacrosse. And like a tennis court, the surface of the rink can be easily damaged.
“Our hope is the community takes care,” he added. “We have many new and exciting assets, from the new skate park to the amazing bike park, which we need to make last.”
Most of the money for the building materials came through grants from Powell River Community Forest, but the project could not have been completed without the help of volunteers, the school’s neighbours and businesses around town, pitching in both financially and also just showing up and helping, he added.
“It’s a couple hundred-thousand-dollar project we did at a third of the cost and, like the original community-built ice arena back in the mid–’50s, this has the same feel,” said English.
Willingdon Civic Arena, the original home of the Powell River Regals hockey team, was completed in 1955 largely through the volunteer effort of community members and the assistance of Powell River Company.
English expects the outdoor court to be completed by the start of the school year and the facility’s grand opening is planned to include students from the school, as well as community members.
“We, the volunteers, and for sure the Powell River Christian School, take a lot of pride in what we’ve accomplished here,” he said, “and are so thankful to all those who contributed to make this happen.”
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