Fort Norman (Nov 22/04) - While community contributions are flowing to help get kids suited up for hockey, Tulita's arena is in need of some major upgrades say the guys responsible for the facility.

At this time of year, Darren Moorman, a hamlet maintenance worker, hauls a lot of water around behind him. It's his job to build the ice surface in the arena.

"We want a concrete floor and to level our boards out," he said.

Much of his time is spent chipping and smoothing bumps and bubbles in the ice as it forms over the uneven ground surface. The homemade tools he lugs around are heavy and hard on his forearms.

"I've got carpal tunnel, I'm just waiting for my operation," he said. "But it's for the kids, so I don't let it stop me any."

But a concrete floor wouldn't just make the job smoother, it also makes financial sense, said Mario Roy, hamlet foreman.

"If we had a new floor, it would save us about $4,300 in water costs alone," he said. "It would save even more when you consider the reduced labour cost of putting in the ice."

The hamlet would also like to find a used Zamboni to replace the 1930s-style pull-cart Moorman drags around when it's time to flood the rink.

The rink is used every weekday by the school until about 3:30 p.m. and then there's public skating, broomball, figure skating, minor hockey and mens hockey all vying for ice time.

"This is the first year we've got a girls hockey team, too," he said. "And we run a lot of tournaments."

He said the Zamboni would cut the time it takes to resurface the ice to 15 minutes from the current 45.

Long-term, an artificial ice system is also something they'd like to see, but they're taking it one step at a time for now.

"We're going to have ice by Nov. 22 or 23, that's better than last year," said Roy, who started his job in the fall. "Last year they weren't skating until January or February."