SPORTS FLASHBACK 1985: La Broquerie hockey fans to enjoy extended season

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This article was published 15/06/2024 (875 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The community of La Broquerie built its first arena back in the early 1950’s, and three decades later, did not hesitate to undertake the daunting task of raising their share of the money needed to install artificial ice in their new rink, so the Habs can finish their season at home.

Just nine months after the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie held a special meeting to guarantee the community portion of the $180,000 project and approve an application to the federal government for funding assistance, the LaBroquerie Habs were skating on artificial ice and the La Broquerie artificial ice committee was planning a casino as a final fundraiser for the project.

The possibility of artificial ice for small rural communities came with the announcement of a provincial Community Assets program in the fall of 1984. At that time, La Broquerie was one of five communities in the Southeast hoping for grant approval and a chunk of the $6 million allocated by the province.

Shortly after the provincial program was announced, the federal government launched a Canada Works program and La Broquerie council was quick to get their application in there as well.

At a special meeting December 13, 1984 councillors approved a plan to ask for just over $32,000 from Canada Works to go along with community, municipal and provincial government funding of the artificial ice project.

Council, in passing the resolution, recognized the full financial implications for the project and guaranteed there would be adequate funds available to complete the installation of artificial ice at the La Broquerie Arena.

The municipality’s resolution outlined a plan to use $40,000 from the Arena Board’s savings account; $25,000 from the municipality’s reserve funds; the $12,000 Culture, Heritage and Recreation grant; and a Canada Works program grant of $32,141. That would leave under $50,000 to be raised by donations and community fundraisers, if the project were to be completed at the estimated $157,000.

The community was quick to reach for their wallets to support the project and a major fund raising banquet in April sold out at $62.50 a ticket and raised $18,000.

RM of La Broquerie Reeve John Giesbrecht told guests at the banquet that already $130,000 of the necessary funding was in place and that an additional grant of $30,000 was still expected from the provincial government.

Giesbrecht expressed particular appreciation to the people at the banquet who would not be using the arena.

“These people are making a contribution without any hope of return.”

Since the arena was built in 1978, the federal government has provided grants totalling $119,000 and the province has provided $130,000 in grants, Giesbrecht said.

Manitoba Municipal Affairs Minister Andy Anstett commended La Broquerie for doing a fantastic job in showing the entire province how to build an arena and get artificial ice installed in the facility.

“This has been a total commitment of which the entire community can be proud,” Anstett said.

The artificial ice plant was up and running by early October and the La Broquerie artificial ice committee is confident a three-day casino will raise $13,000 to pay off all that remains to be collected to cover the $180,000 project.

RM of La Broquerie secretary-treasurer said the project had been supported by a $60,000 federal-provincial grant and a $25,000 municipal grant, and the rest of the money has been raised privately.