Cheer Story: How Redvers Volunteers Rallied to Save the Ice!

The Redvers & District Recreation Centre is the heart of the community, and its ice surface is essential for the upcoming season. So, when the ice plant motor failed late in September, Recreation Director Nadine Pryde knew they were facing a crisis. What followed was a display of collective effort, local initiative, and community spirit that got the rink back up and chilling in just over 24 hours.

The morning started like any other, until a key piece of equipment went down, and Nadine knew immediately that something was seriously wrong.

“On that particular Friday morning, the ice plant made a ‘weird or different’ sound on its automatic shutdown, so I went to investigate,” Nadine explains. “There was no power to the control panel... I then called our chairperson, who suggested calling our local electrician and a retired electrician. They both showed up almost immediately, worked together and found the problem, a burnt motor.”

With the ice already in and nearly ready for painting, the outdoor temperature of 20 degrees meant every minute counted to save the surface.

Getting a replacement motor was step one—but installing it was going to be a challenge. The old motor weighed 950 lbs, and it had to be lifted out and replaced with the new one. This is where the community network truly shone.

“My phone did not stop ringing, and looking back on it now, I am thankful for that, because this person called that person, and so on until we had the right equipment,” says Nadine. “More phone calls later, we had the new motor ordered.”

From picking up the new motor to providing specialized equipment and expertise, the chain of volunteers never broke. The Recreation Centre was down from 10:30 a.m. Friday until about 4:00 p.m. Saturday, a remarkably short time considering the complexity of the repair. “It took the guys doing the motor several hours to get it running, but they did it in enough time to save the ice,” Nadine emphasizes.

“I say all the time that a ‘Thank You’ doesn’t seem enough, but the people of our community are always willing to lend a helping hand,” she shares. “Redvers is the place where I grew up, and I have chosen Redvers to raise my family in. I've only been in this position for three (3) years. I knew I was filling big shoes taking this job, but thanks to the community, they have made it possible, and we can do the best for the Rec Centre.”

Ultimately, the successful repair wasn't just about technical know-how; it was a testament to Redvers’ spirit.

“It takes a community to run a centre like ours and a COMMUNITY Redvers has!”