CUTLINE: Local dignitaries grabbed shovels and donned hard hats at the site of the new S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena and Community Centre on Friday May 31 in Minden. /Photo courtesy of Emily Stonehouse By Sue Tiffin
When
Sue Sisson heard the demolition of the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena was
beginning at the start of last month, she stopped by the site at 55
Parkside Street to watch some of it take place.
Sue Sisson heard the demolition of the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena was
beginning at the start of last month, she stopped by the site at 55
Parkside Street to watch some of it take place.
The
Minden resident said it was a sentimental moment for her, remembering
her husband, Bryan, who was the arena manager when the facility first
opened in 1972. He worked there for 23 years.
Minden resident said it was a sentimental moment for her, remembering
her husband, Bryan, who was the arena manager when the facility first
opened in 1972. He worked there for 23 years.
“It’s
hard, it’s very hard,” she said. “I did [go there] as soon as I heard,
and then I couldn’t stay … It’s just so heartbreaking, just because of
the memories, but then I think, OK, you have to just move forward and
think, what’s going to come, and it’s going to be wonderful.”
Sisson
was also in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony held May 31 – the
event was held after the demolition of the arena was completed due to
Minden’s flood-related state of emergency declared April 24 – and said
she was there in memory of Bryan.
hard, it’s very hard,” she said. “I did [go there] as soon as I heard,
and then I couldn’t stay … It’s just so heartbreaking, just because of
the memories, but then I think, OK, you have to just move forward and
think, what’s going to come, and it’s going to be wonderful.”
Sisson
was also in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony held May 31 – the
event was held after the demolition of the arena was completed due to
Minden’s flood-related state of emergency declared April 24 – and said
she was there in memory of Bryan.
“I think it’s great, I think he’s looking down thinking he would have loved to work in it,” she said.
She recalled rock concerts and Rotary meetings and events Bryan had organized in the arena.
“He got people coming to all kinds of events, so the arena was always making money,” she said.
Sisson
said she was at the groundbreaking because she wanted to see the
drawings for the new $13 million build, which she called “very
impressive.”
said she was at the groundbreaking because she wanted to see the
drawings for the new $13 million build, which she called “very
impressive.”
“I
know people are really caught up in the price tag, but I think it’s
going to be wonderful for our future kids,” she said. “They’ve thought
of lots of other things in there. I think it will accommodate so many
people, especially when they can’t walk outside in winter – we don’t
have our beautiful Riverwalk [in winter] – they can come to our arena
and walk indoors and have a great beautiful facility to do it in.”
know people are really caught up in the price tag, but I think it’s
going to be wonderful for our future kids,” she said. “They’ve thought
of lots of other things in there. I think it will accommodate so many
people, especially when they can’t walk outside in winter – we don’t
have our beautiful Riverwalk [in winter] – they can come to our arena
and walk indoors and have a great beautiful facility to do it in.”
Sisson remembers the town’s original quonset-style arena located where the municipal office is now, on Milne Street.
“We
used to have high school Teen Town and it was in Minden, always,” she
said. “If you were lucky you could get a ride down and go to these sock
hops.”
used to have high school Teen Town and it was in Minden, always,” she
said. “If you were lucky you could get a ride down and go to these sock
hops.”
Now,
she expects her grandchildren will come and visit the third arena in
her lifetime, expected to be completed next year in 2020.
she expects her grandchildren will come and visit the third arena in
her lifetime, expected to be completed next year in 2020.
Mayor
Brent Devolin was joined by councillors, MP Jamie Schmale and MPP
Laurie Scott as well as municipal staff and members of the arena’s task
force committee in posing for pictures with shovels and wearing hard
hats in front of the demolished building (the community centre portion
of the facility remains intact) at the groundbreaking ceremony. He
remembers playing hockey in Haliburton as a child after moving to the
area in 1969 and said the build of Minden’s arena then was impressive
because it was steel.
Brent Devolin was joined by councillors, MP Jamie Schmale and MPP
Laurie Scott as well as municipal staff and members of the arena’s task
force committee in posing for pictures with shovels and wearing hard
hats in front of the demolished building (the community centre portion
of the facility remains intact) at the groundbreaking ceremony. He
remembers playing hockey in Haliburton as a child after moving to the
area in 1969 and said the build of Minden’s arena then was impressive
because it was steel.
“I
remember when it was built it was, in Central Ontario, it was the
best,” he said. “I remember as a kid, coming to play in the Minden arena
was a big deal.”
remember when it was built it was, in Central Ontario, it was the
best,” he said. “I remember as a kid, coming to play in the Minden arena
was a big deal.”
The
Haliburton arena, he said, wasn’t old but was built with wood, and
compared the two buildings then to “big and fat and rounded” cars of the
1950s and cars of the 1960s with “nice clean lines.”
Haliburton arena, he said, wasn’t old but was built with wood, and
compared the two buildings then to “big and fat and rounded” cars of the
1950s and cars of the 1960s with “nice clean lines.”
“We’re
on the cusp of that again, 50 years later, kind of the new, wider,
full-featured, encompassing kind of facility for young and old,” he
said. He said he hoped the walking track would bring opportunities for
seniors in the winter.
on the cusp of that again, 50 years later, kind of the new, wider,
full-featured, encompassing kind of facility for young and old,” he
said. He said he hoped the walking track would bring opportunities for
seniors in the winter.
“And
the young people, the multi-fitness [room], a lot of 20-somethings and
30-somethings … that’s a huge thing for them,” he said.
the young people, the multi-fitness [room], a lot of 20-somethings and
30-somethings … that’s a huge thing for them,” he said.
On
the day of the groundbreaking, Devolin said he wasn’t feeling emotional
about the demolition of the physical building, which an engineering
analysis had determined was eroding, and unable to bear the weight of a
rebuild.
the day of the groundbreaking, Devolin said he wasn’t feeling emotional
about the demolition of the physical building, which an engineering
analysis had determined was eroding, and unable to bear the weight of a
rebuild.
“If
it was coming down at the end of the line and there wasn’t a new
iteration of it, yeah, it’d be sad and emotional,” he said, noting that
another facility in Ontario was facing closure due to structural
complications.
it was coming down at the end of the line and there wasn’t a new
iteration of it, yeah, it’d be sad and emotional,” he said, noting that
another facility in Ontario was facing closure due to structural
complications.
“It’s
a completion of a process to get to this, and then the next part of it
is … expectant father,” he said. “And then the other part of it is,
my hope is that the youth and the enjoyment, that it’s perceived that it
has the value that I think it will. Because it’s a lot of money and I’m
sure from people’s perspective that there’s so many needs, and why does
this one [trump] some other needs so … anyways, we’ll see.”
a completion of a process to get to this, and then the next part of it
is … expectant father,” he said. “And then the other part of it is,
my hope is that the youth and the enjoyment, that it’s perceived that it
has the value that I think it will. Because it’s a lot of money and I’m
sure from people’s perspective that there’s so many needs, and why does
this one [trump] some other needs so … anyways, we’ll see.”
Devolin
made note of the support of councillors in the project, particularly
praising those who voted against it in February – his vote broke the tie
for the project for a final vote of 4 – 3. The high cost of the
project, the single bid, that a feasibility study was not completed, and
that the design does not include a pool had made the issue a
contentious one for the community and council.
made note of the support of councillors in the project, particularly
praising those who voted against it in February – his vote broke the tie
for the project for a final vote of 4 – 3. The high cost of the
project, the single bid, that a feasibility study was not completed, and
that the design does not include a pool had made the issue a
contentious one for the community and council.
“Once the decision was made, they’ve been supportive and behind us and moving forward,” he said of the councillors.
Wendy
Connelly and members of the Nesbitt family were at the groundbreaking
ceremony, pleased to hear the new arena will carry S.G. Nesbitt’s name
forward. Sinc Nesbitt was Connelly’s dad, a councillor and reeve in the
former township of Stanhope, and had stepped in to fill a spot on Minden
council before his unexpected death in 2000.
Connelly and members of the Nesbitt family were at the groundbreaking
ceremony, pleased to hear the new arena will carry S.G. Nesbitt’s name
forward. Sinc Nesbitt was Connelly’s dad, a councillor and reeve in the
former township of Stanhope, and had stepped in to fill a spot on Minden
council before his unexpected death in 2000.
Connelly said her family spent much time at the arena.
“The
first young lady that played hockey, my dad built her a dressing room
so that she wouldn’t have to go into the washroom and put on her
uniform,” said Connelly. “It was a little storage closet right behind
the canteen downstairs, and he put in the benches and everything for
her, and then as more girls started to come along then they weren’t
stuck in the washroom changing their clothes.”
first young lady that played hockey, my dad built her a dressing room
so that she wouldn’t have to go into the washroom and put on her
uniform,” said Connelly. “It was a little storage closet right behind
the canteen downstairs, and he put in the benches and everything for
her, and then as more girls started to come along then they weren’t
stuck in the washroom changing their clothes.”
Now,
she said her family goes skating at the arena when they come visit from
out west. Nesbitt’s great-grandson Walker and great-granddaughter,
Sterling, who shares his initials and questioned as a youngster if the
arena was named for her, were also in attendance at the groundbreaking.
she said her family goes skating at the arena when they come visit from
out west. Nesbitt’s great-grandson Walker and great-granddaughter,
Sterling, who shares his initials and questioned as a youngster if the
arena was named for her, were also in attendance at the groundbreaking.
“I
think he would be very honoured, even when they did the first naming,
I’m pretty sure he would have been very, very honoured,” she said. “He
wouldn’t have expected anything like that. He didn’t take any praise,
just all in a day’s work sort of thing.”
Arena task force member Diane Peacock said she has logged 175 volunteer hours on the project so far,
think he would be very honoured, even when they did the first naming,
I’m pretty sure he would have been very, very honoured,” she said. “He
wouldn’t have expected anything like that. He didn’t take any praise,
just all in a day’s work sort of thing.”
Arena task force member Diane Peacock said she has logged 175 volunteer hours on the project so far,
“[When
the building first came down] I had mixed feelings,” she said. “I’ve
done the last five years with minor hockey, timekeeping, so I’ve seen a
lot of memories in there. But, with what I knew with what was in the
structure, the problems and the issues, it was nice to see it go because
no more liability issues.”
the building first came down] I had mixed feelings,” she said. “I’ve
done the last five years with minor hockey, timekeeping, so I’ve seen a
lot of memories in there. But, with what I knew with what was in the
structure, the problems and the issues, it was nice to see it go because
no more liability issues.”
Peacock
said she also has memories of concerts and wedding dances and community
events at the arena, but said the groundbreaking ceremony was the
“start of the rebirth of the arena,” and an exciting time.
said she also has memories of concerts and wedding dances and community
events at the arena, but said the groundbreaking ceremony was the
“start of the rebirth of the arena,” and an exciting time.
“There’s
a lot of memories there, but it’s an opportunity for us to make more
memories and bring our town up into the 21st century.”
a lot of memories there, but it’s an opportunity for us to make more
memories and bring our town up into the 21st century.”
Patrick Brousseau, chief estimator for McDonald Brothers Construction, said the project was going well.
“As
it stands right now, we’re mobilizing on Monday to begin excavation,
formwork, reinforcing steel, so that’s on schedule and most importantly
it’s on budget,” he said. “That’s where the risk is, during the
presentations we mentioned that the civil work, and the concrete work,
getting out of the ground is where the risk is. So we’ll know probably
by the end of the summer where all the risk was.”
it stands right now, we’re mobilizing on Monday to begin excavation,
formwork, reinforcing steel, so that’s on schedule and most importantly
it’s on budget,” he said. “That’s where the risk is, during the
presentations we mentioned that the civil work, and the concrete work,
getting out of the ground is where the risk is. So we’ll know probably
by the end of the summer where all the risk was.”
He said the groundbreaking ceremony was unique.
“The
particularity of this project is the fact that we have a 6,000
[population] township funding the whole project, I’ve never witnessed
this before,” he said. “Usually there’s some cost-sharing involved, so
it takes a lot of effort from all the members, and most importantly it
takes a lot of vision from the council because every municipality that
we’ve been involved with building these hubs, it benefits everyone, and
the one they currently had was dilapidated. It needed a lot of love, to
the point where, we tried, during our investigation work, and it was
nothing to salvage. So we tore it down and now we’re going to build a
new one. And we know it’s going to be a beautiful facility.”
particularity of this project is the fact that we have a 6,000
[population] township funding the whole project, I’ve never witnessed
this before,” he said. “Usually there’s some cost-sharing involved, so
it takes a lot of effort from all the members, and most importantly it
takes a lot of vision from the council because every municipality that
we’ve been involved with building these hubs, it benefits everyone, and
the one they currently had was dilapidated. It needed a lot of love, to
the point where, we tried, during our investigation work, and it was
nothing to salvage. So we tore it down and now we’re going to build a
new one. And we know it’s going to be a beautiful facility.”
Brousseau
said in the demolition, wooden doors and insulation were discarded, but
all steel was recycled and rubble now on site will be reused to raise
the parking lot.
said in the demolition, wooden doors and insulation were discarded, but
all steel was recycled and rubble now on site will be reused to raise
the parking lot.
“Everything
else got recycled, the metal roof, the metal walls, the steel, the
reinforcing in the concrete, the masonry block, the concrete slab and
even the granulars that are there now are going to be reused for
compacting and for raising the parking lot.”
else got recycled, the metal roof, the metal walls, the steel, the
reinforcing in the concrete, the masonry block, the concrete slab and
even the granulars that are there now are going to be reused for
compacting and for raising the parking lot.”
Often,
he said, nostalgic pieces from the former building will be integrated
into the design of a new building. The task force is currently accepting
any memorabilia that might suit the lobby of the new facility.
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