The Town of Princeton is receiving $871,000 from the federal government to improve its arena, it was announced today, July 25.
“This is a great day,” said Mayor Spencer Coyne. “This money will allow us to do much needed repairs and bring operational costs down.”
According to Coyne, a large part of the grant will fund the repair of the roof. Other projects include an energy retrofit, solar panels, and the purchase of an electric ice surfacing machine.
“Princeton’s arena has hosted a variety of local sports events for nearly half a century,” states a government release. “For many residents, as is the case in so many communities across Canada, life revolves around the arena. This revitalization project will improve users’ comfort while reducing heating and maintenance costs, creating savings for the municipality and encouraging even more residents to take advantage of these facilities,”
Earlier this year Princeton was one of four finalists in the nationa-wide Kraft Hockeyville contest. While the town did not win, it received $25,000 as a consolation prize, and there have been other, private, fundraising efforts.
Coyne said the town will still need to contribute approximately $200,000 towards the repairs and refurbishing.
Related: Princeton B.C. is one of four finalists in national Kraft Hockeyville contest
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