By Stephanie Stevens

Out with the old and in with the new… but please make sure the new one is ready before the old one goes.

A brand new outdoor skating rink is in the final stages in the Village of Radium Hot Springs, with the council hoping for completion by New Year’s Eve.

“The rink we had is extremely well used, even with its square corners,” said Mayor Clara Reinhardt of the decades old rink on Stanley Street.

Councillor Tyler McCauley said evenings especially are busy with residents taking to the ice for hockey games.

“I really love the excitement in the community about the new rink,” he added. “There are not a lot of things being talked about more in Radium these days and people have asked that we not tear down the old one before the new one is ready.”

While the actual age of the original rink is not certain, long time Radium resident and former councillor for the village Phyllis Jackson said it was here when she moved here in 1964 and was constructed before the old community hall.

“My dad used to come out (before we moved here) and he said they had a rink and they even tried using it for curling,” she said. “It was built even before the hall was built, so I would guess the late 1950s or very early 1960s.”

The new rink, which is down in the village green area in the centre of Radium, is a part of the master plan to rejuvenate the well-used area, with the new Radium Hot Springs Centre community hall opening its doors in 2018, Brent’s Shack concession stand, a refurbished and improved playground area and a year-round heated amenities building slated for spring construction.

While the rink will be a drawing card for the village, it is also a way for the village to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

“It is another way for everyone to stay active,” said Reinhardt.

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