LAMPMAN - Fundraising is well underway for a nice ice plant at the Lampman Arena, and now an event is approaching to bring in the final dollars.
Lampman Recreation will present the After Harvest Party on Oct. 22 in the Lampman School gymnasium. Long-time Saskatchewan broadcaster Rod Pedersen, who hosts the Rod Pedersen Show, will be the MC, while former NHL enforcer Stu Grimson will be the guest speaker.
A two-meat supper will be served at 6 p.m. There will be a silent auction, a live auction and music from the band Uncoolas. Midnight lunch will be served.
Brittany Sutherland, who is the recreation director for Lampman, said nine of the 40 tables were available for purchase as of the evening of Oct. 6.
“Everything is lined up, things are falling into place and we’re less than two weeks away,” said Sutherland.
She is looking forward to hearing the guest speakers. Sutherland noted that people who have heard Grimson before had good things to say about him.
Eight items will be available in the live auction, including two big-ticket items. One is the naming rights for the arena for the next five years. The purchaser will also get their logo at centre ice.
Also available will be a pump jack supplied by Grimes Sales and Service (2020).
“It will be part of a proxy bid system, and we’re hoping that it brings in a nice source of revenue for us,” said Sutherland.
There will be a large silent auction during the evening as well.
“We’re really focusing on the entertainment and just getting back out there and socializing with people,” said Sutherland. “It’s been a long 2 1/2 years.”
The Town of Lampman and RM of Browning have been fundraising to purchase a thermosiphon ammonia ice plan, and it is expected to add to the life span of the arena while lowering the operating costs.
“It’s supposed to be more energy efficient, and with the rising costs in the area, with power and energy and all that, we’re looking forward to having such an energy-efficient plant,” said Sutherland.
The current ice plant was on its “last leg”, Sutherland said. The unit could have likely made it through one more season, but then two or three parts would have likely been finished. So this was the time to get it done.
Supply chain issues have caused the ice plant cost to increase.
Ice won’t be installed at the arena until the new plant arrives. There will be hockey in the town this season, but they don’t have an official start date.
People have been very generous with their support for the upgrade.
“We are hoping that with a successful fundraiser that night, we should hit our goal,” said Sutherland. “We don’t want to release how much exactly we need, just because we would like to hit that and more at the fundraiser, but … it’s in our sights,” said Sutherland.
Lampman received a grant through the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program for the arena last year.
Richardson Pioneer, Sagenta, Bayer CropScience and Precision Ag have covered a large portion of the cost for the fundraiser.
Sutherland noted the school gymnasium has the best acoustics in town, and it has hosted many town fundraisers, so it’s a good venue for this event.
