From the Archives: Killam to officially open new arena
(The Community Press – February 7, 1950) – Wednesday, February 8 will be a red letter day for the Killam district, for on that day, the new Memorial Arena will be officially opened.
The new arena formed the second unit of the Killam Memorial Recreation Centre, which was first envisioned by the late U. A. Lebel. The curling rink, completed about two years ago, was the first unit and the next stage will be the children’s playground and park, which will take in the eight lots on the highway immediately in front of the arena.
Construction on the arena started in the fall of 1947 when the building was excavated and the waiting room erected. Little more in the way of building was done until 1949. During that time however, a building committee headed by Mr. Oscar White did extensive travelling throughout Northern Alberta looking over other arenas and lining up the necessary building supplies.
In July 1949, the committee with the help of the community went to work. Some contracts were let for parts of the work and the balance was all voluntary labour. Not even the optimistic dreamed that the building would be all but completed that season.
The support given this civic enterprise exceeded all hopes however, and by the time that winter arrived the building was completely closed in and the exterior a gleaming coat of white paint with a huge sign, “Killam Memorial Arena – 1949” at the top.
Since winter arrived, work has gone on inside. A modern lunch counter has been built, the waiting rooms, rest rooms and dressing rooms have been finished and new bleachers have been built.
The new arena is 221 feet long and 144 feet wide, with a regulation ice surface of 200×85 feet, one of the largest in the province.
The roof is supported by 12 huge arches which are 36 feet above the ice at centre. These arches contain one mile of half inch rod, and each piece of wood in them is glued and nailed. Each arch weighs 3900 pounds and is butted at the ends to cement abutments which extend five feet underground.
The main waiting room, the rest rooms and the two club rooms measure 21 x 109 feet and are all heated from a central heating plant in the basement. A novel feature is the ice flooding system. By means of a hot water tank in the basement, the ice can be flooded with 2 barrels of hot water in a half hour, and the result is a mirror-like surface.
For the official opening, the Board of Trade has arranged for an outstanding program. Starting at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 8, the afternoon part will include a senior hockey game with special children’s events and broom ball game. The evening program will commence at 7:30 p.m., and will feature exhibitions by 20 skaters of the Edmonton Glenora Figure Skating Club. At the opening ceremonies, officials of the Village, the Legion and the Provincial Government will be present. Mr. A. E. Fee, MLA, will declare the arena officially opened. A moccasin dance will be the concluding feature of the day.
Originally published in The Community Press. If you’d like to see more “From the Archives” online and in our paper in coming weeks, please leave us feedback on Facebook, Twitter, or email news@thecommunitypress.com.
