The discovery of an ammonia leak has resulted in the closure of the Didsbury Arena and Curling Rink.
The leak was uncovered during regular maintenance of the ice plant. It is in the condenser unit/cooling tower on the exterior of the facility, according to a press release from the Town of Didsbury.
It is anticipated that the unit will be replaced in the next three to four months but unfortunately the 2024-2025 season is over as of today (December 19th) for the arena and the curling rink.
Mayor Rhonda Hunter points out that the Town’s Community Services Director, Facility Manager are in contact with all their user groups – curlers, figure skaters, Didsbury Minor Hockey, the Heritage Junior B Hockey League’s Mountain View Colts. She certainly hopes that other communities can help them out. Mayor Hunter says “we know how busy arenas are in the winter and curling rinks are in the winter and we are going to reach out for a little bit of help, if that is possible. For those groups, I know our Community Services Director and Manager is going to work with them as closely as they can. At this point though there is no ice. The ice will get taken out. So I don’t know what that means for their seasons. I know that access to the ice in Didsbury isn’t possible.”
The Town had reportedly slated the condenser for replacement in its 2027 budget, but that will now take place early in the new year once a new unit can be delivered and installed.
Updates on the project will be provided to the community as it progresses.
The Mountain View Colts will finish up the 2024 portion of the HJHL regular season with road games on the agenda for this Friday, December 20th in Strathmore against the Agra Risk Wheatland Kings and on Saturday, December 21st in Rocky Mountain House versus the Rocky Rams. They start the new year in High River where they will meet up with the Flyers on January 3rd. The Colts next regularly scheduled home game is on January 4th against the Medicine Hat Cubs.
