(File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Council update

Melfort Kinsmen requests larger footprint, ice resurfacer for Dale Frier Memorial outdoor rink

May 13, 2025 | 2:00 PM

Council in Melfort heard from the Kinsmen Club of Melfort about their desire to refurbish and replace the current Dale Frier Memorial outdoor rink.

Delegate Trevis McConaghy addressed council about the Kinsmen Club’s plans for the new outdoor facility.

McConaghy said at Monday’s council meeting that the current rink is about 25 years old and is past its best-before date. The Kinsmen Club is looking to also expand the size of the rink and asked the City of Melfort’s approval to expand the existing rink footprint to allow for a larger ice surface. The current surface is just 100 ft x 50 ft, and McConaghy told council they would prefer to make the rink 200 ft x 85 ft if possible. Another possibility is a slightly smaller ice surface at 170 ft x 70 ft. The Kinsmen proposal indicated they would purchase the rink boards and components from OmniSport, based in Alberta.

The Kinsmen proposal is also asking the City for use of a used ice resurfacer for the outdoor rink. Director of Community Services Rob Lok indicated at the meeting the city does have three ice resurfacers in total; the electic one used at the Northern Lights Palace, the former Palace resurfacer that is now the back-up, and a third, smaller resurfacer that is not currently in use.

McConaghy also told council the Kinsmen Club would take responsibility for securing a qualified operator, and they would also construct a heated space to store the resurfacer and serve as a user warm-up area. Should the City of Melfort approve of the plan, the Kinsmen Club would hope to open the revitalized Dale Frier Memorial outdoor rink this coming winter.

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In other council notes, Council approved the application for the use of a location at Mount Pleasant Cemetery to build a Veteran Memorial Site at the southeast intersection at the cemetery. Communities in Bloom, in conjunction with the Melfort Legion, is looking to build a circular paving stone base to support a stone cairn, planters, and the flagpole.

Council also approved a discretionary use development permit application for a strip mall, to be located at 112-114 Saskatchewan Dr. E.

Councillors and Mayor Glenn George were also pleased to see the massive $16 million building permit application for Redhead Equipment in April’s building permit update.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com