Repairs forcing delays in opening of aging Cape Breton rinks

October is usually a busy month for local arenas as they prepare for the ice rental season, but that hasn’t been the case just yet for two Cape Breton venues.

Repair work has forced the delay in opening at the Richmond Arena in Lousidale as well as the New Waterford and District Community Centre – two of the oldest arenas on the island.

The 51-year-old Richmond Arena has been closed since the end of the last ice rental season as the Municipality of the County of Richmond invested close to $5 million to replace the venue’s ice surface floor.

Warden Lois Landry said the repairs were necessary and remain on budget, but the expected timeframe of the project’s completion has been delayed.

“We started as soon as the ice surface was taken out right after the season closed, and our hope was to get it done by the first of November, on time and on budget,” said Landry. “Our budget seems to be going OK, but on time has not.

“We ran into a couple of delays – we had a four-week delay. The pour for the ice surface floor happened last week and it needs 28 days to cure and a couple of things after that, so we’re expecting to open it at the end of November.”

The Richmond Arena has been the subject of conversation for the municipality since 2019, said Landry, noting some of those talks included the possibility of replacing the venue entirely.

“Back in 2019 it was more than 40 years of age and there were issues with the floor,” said Landry. “The municipality decided to commission a study to talk about what would need to be fixed or whether they would replace it.”

At the time, the project cost to build a new arena in Richmond County was $5 million. The municipality decided not to move forward with the project.

“Back in 2019, they just didn’t have the money, and they just didn’t know for sure,” said Landry. “Going into 2021-22, council decided to commission a study, they got consultants to talk about replacement, and it was a really big consultation process.”

The study talked about building a multipurpose facility with a gym, an arena, and a walking track.

“It was beautiful, and people were all for it until we got the price tag, and it was $43 million, so that came to a screeching halt,” said Landry.

Landry said the municipality kept an eye on how the now former Victoria Highland Civic Centre in Baddeck navigated its challenges from a distance.

“We saw them fix something and then fix something else and then they couldn’t do it anymore,” she said. “Before we did repairs, we commissioned some engineering to do an assessment.

“We didn’t want to spend $5 million on the ice surface and then have the roof collapse on us, so we had quite a lot of engineering and consultant work done. The arena is in great shape. A tip of the hat to the people who built it and maintained it for the first 20 or 30 years – it’s really in good shape.”

The municipality decided to “pull the pin” and get the repairs done this year with the hope of giving the venue many more years of service.

“We took everything inside of the boards out, right down to the dirt and all the concrete, all the tubbing and all the refrigeration,” said Landry. “(We knew) it was just going to be a big project.”

The Richmond Arena is one of two facilities used by the Strait Richmond Minor Hockey Association, along with the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, for their fall and winter programing.

“The Strait Richmond Minor Hockey Association continues to work closely with the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre and Richmond Arena staff to explore the best possible options for our players and families while we navigate the delay in Richmond Arena’s opening,” said the association in a statement to the Cape Breton Post.

“We recognize the delay has created challenges for our association, families, and volunteers, and we sincerely appreciate everyone’s patience, flexibility, and continued support. Our volunteers and community partners have worked hard to adapt, and we are making the very best of the challenging situation while keeping the needs of our players at the forefront.

“We look forward to returning to the Richmond Arena. The staff there have been incredibly supportive throughout this process, and we appreciate their ongoing communication and efforts as we work together toward a solution.”

Landry understands the frustration and challenges the association is facing.

“We started getting calls in the summer about when it was going to open,” said Landry. “It also speaks to the amount of extra money it would take for people to do business outside of Richmond – we’re talking about increases in ice prices.

“I talked to a cousin who has kids in hockey, and he said they took for granted going as far as Louisdale. He’s driving his kids all the way to Port Hawkesbury, which adds an extra hour onto the trip – 25 to 30 minutes in each direction. It drives home the importance of having an arena in Louisdale.”

While no major projects are planned for the Richmond Arena after the completion of the current one, Landry said officials are always monitoring the venue’s roof and weight caused by snow.

In the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, the 52-year-old New Waterford and District Community Centre was forced to delay its opening because of repairs to the venue’s ice plant.

The venue was originally scheduled to open for the season on Oct. 17, but supply chain delays have forced the arena to remain closed.

“All parts for the new plant were ordered on the delivery dates and were delayed in getting here,” said venue manager Kevin Forward. “We’re a couple of weeks behind, but we’re hoping to be back on schedule soon.”

Like the Richmond Arena, the delayed opening in New Waterford has forced the New Waterford Minor Hockey Association and New Waterford Skating Club to begin their 2026-27 season at neighbouring arenas.

“As you all know, our rink is currently undergoing the installation of a new plant, along with several other upgrades and improvements,” said Scott Hillier, president of the New Waterford Minor Hockey Association, on the association’s Facebook page on Oct. 23.

“While these upgrades are exciting and will benefit our hockey community in the long run, we understand that the process can come with some unexpected challenges.

“NWMHA is working closely with neighbouring rinks to ensure that all players across every division receive the ice time they are entitled to. We are doing everything we can to secure ice times and keep things moving so we can continue scheduling practices and games for our teams as smoothly as possible.”

Hillier asked members to be patient and understanding as the association continues to work through the early season challenges.

“We know how important ice time is for our players, families, coaches, and volunteers, and we share your frustration with the uncertainty surrounding the schedule,” said Hillier. “NWMHA remains in constant communication with rink staff on our end and will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.”

Forward is hopeful the New Waterford venue will be able to open its doors for the new season this week.