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Outdoor ball hockey rink ready to go in Rankin Inlet Darrell Greer Northern News Services Published Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The community's first ball hockey rink is being unveiled this week next to the outdoor soccer field. Rankin recreation coordinator David Clark said the project has been in the works for the past two years. He said he received funding in 2009 through the Culture, Language, Elders and Youth sport and recreation division, but a lack of expertise and a bit of bad luck kept the project from being completed until this year. "We got the supplies in at that time and built the boards, but we didn't have anyone who knew what they were doing with concrete to properly level and install the pad," said Clark. "We were hoping to have it done this past summer, but we wanted to make sure we did it right the first time. "We were able to get it done this year thanks to M&T getting the gravel and levelling it off, and the NDL company doing all the concrete work, including using some of its own when it was discovered our concrete had gone bad. "We owe both companies a big thank you, and we'll be erecting a sign near the ball hockey rink to acknowledge their help." Clark said anyone who has gone to the Rankin arena during hockey season knows the love for the game that exists in the community. He said Rankin kids have never really had anywhere safe to play during the summer months, and he expects the outdoor ball hockey rink will see plenty of action. "We have a few paved roads, but they're busy and you'd rather the kids not be playing on them. "The other ones are close to the lake and the ball would spend more time in the water than on the road. "This is something I've always wanted to get done in Rankin because I know it will be used a lot. "We've had kids coming around pretty much nonstop, asking questions and getting a little impatient for it to finally open." Clark said interest in the facility has him pumped about the opening. He said most of the labour is being done by his group of summer students, who are doing an excellent job. "Everything's been going smoothly and we're pretty excited about it being ready to go. "We're going to leave it open, as far as hours of operation, for the first little while and keep an eye on it to see how it goes. "The kids playing there shouldn't be an issue," he added. "The soccer field is right next to it and we've never had any problems with the people who live near it complaining of the noise or anything like that."
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