Yellowknife (Oct 03/03) - Now that the Olympic-sized ice surface at the Multiplex is open, user groups are longing for the day when it's twin is operating.

The Yellowknife Speed Skating Club waited patiently for the delayed opening.

"Everybody made the best of what we had available. There was no sense complaining about it," said David Gilday, who is involved in the club.

Now the group is thrilled with the larger, brighter, and safer surface, said Gilday, but is struggling with available ice times.

"The next hurdle is to open the next ice sheet," he said. "The demands on the current facility are so high that we need the surface."

The Great Slave Skating Centre skates at coveted ice times after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 6 to 8 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Coach Sylvie Martin remembers the struggle last year when the group skated for two weeks on and then had two weeks of zero ice time.

Now that they are on the new ice, the group is also striving for the completion of the twin-pad complex.

"It's a great facility, but it doesn't take care of the problem that there's not enough ice time available," she said.

Martin has been with the club since 1998 and says ice limitations are inhibiting expansion of the skating centre.

The club often loses its Sunday ice time to special events, such as the grand opening of the Multiplex Sept. 28.

Coun. Ben McDonald is looking to user groups to raise funds for the second pad.

"If ice user groups can raise significant amounts themselves, it seems logical to me that the city can foster commitment," he said.

The city's two ice surfaces currently operate at over 90 per cent capacity, said Coun. Robert Hawkins.

When capacity reaches 70 per cent it's up to city administration to alert council on the need to start planning another surface, he said.

Ice time at both arenas is booked solid from September to May, with groups moving between both facilities and playing well into the night.