BUILDING A DREAM
Dinner recognizes contributors, anniversary of arenaThree years ago, a volunteer committee started the process of raising money for the expansion and renovation of the Penetanguishene Memorial Arena
Posted By CHRISTINA BERNARDO
Posted 1 year ago
A fundraising dinner next month should be the final push to finishing off the Penetanguishene Memorial Arena.
The Nov. 14 dinner will also recognize the 50th anniversary of the original building's construction.
Members of the Penetanguishene arena enhancement -sports hall of fame fundraising project committee will host a fundraising dinner next month.
Anne Gagne, chair of the Penetanguishene arena enhancement and sports hall of fame fundraising project committee, said purpose of the dinner is twofold.
"The dinner is a combination of the celebration of (the arena's) 50th anniversary, and that it is newly renovated with the addition of the sports hall of fame," she said.
Sports hall of fame committee member David Dupuis said the event is being held 50 years to the date of the building's completion.
Besides the addition of the sports hall of fame, other renovations included a new entrance, washroom facilities and a pro shop.
"Because it's the 50th, and it happens to be an arena project, we're do a combination celebration dinner," said Gagne. "There is the celebration is the anniversary of course, but the other is the recognition that we're celebrating the end of the fundraising because we're down to about $10,000 to raise."
She expects the rest of the money needed for the project will be raised through this dinner dinner.
It will also recognize the numerous contributions towards the project.
COMMUNITY FOCAL POINT
Penetanguishene Memorial Arena
In 1953 to 1954 volunteers and community groups painstakingly built the Penetanguishene Memorial Community Centre. For more than 50 years it has been the centre of the sporting and cultural life of Penetanguishene, frequented year round by more than 150,000 users of all ages in a variety of events. Over the years, it has easily become the most highly-trafficked building in town. Penetanguishene has a proud history in producing star quality athletes in a variety of sports. In 1987, a committee set in motion the first process to produce inductees for the first Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame.
The event will take place at the arena's Memorial Community Centre, Brian Orser Hall.
Cocktails will be served at 5:30 p. m. with dinner to take place at 6:30.
The cost of the event is $50 per person, which includes a tax receipt for half of the ticket price and a free colour portrait with trophies from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Attendees can have their photo taken with their choice of seven trophies, including the James Norris, Conn Smythe, Lady Byng, Vezina, and Hart, as well as the Memorial and Centennial cups.
Tickets can be purchased at the municipal office (549-7453), arena (5496957), through Barbe Dodson (549-8273), Gagne (549-2373), or Marlene Leroux (549-2998).
Buzz Deschamps will be the evening's master of ceremonies.
Gagne said there will also be a few special guests.
The organizers hope to see 250 people at the event.
Dupuis said the arena was originally built by community volunteers under what turned out to be fairly trying circumstances.
"They put the walls up and a storm blew them all down. They put the walls back up," he said. "They put the roof trusses up and then a storm came and blew all the trusses down again. They persevered and put it back up, so this arena, when they named it a community centre, is a true community centre and a lot of men in town had to volunteer."
This latest project was launched in October, 2005, partly in response to the desire to have a permanent home for the sports all of fame.
"At the same time, we found a few things at the arena weren't up to code as far as security and safety: not enough washrooms, and the electrical system was very old," said Gagne.
When it was time to make the decision as to what needed to be done, Gagne said a renovation and the addition of the sports hall of fame in the arena would suffice.
She said the project cost more than $1 million.
The town paid about 50 per cent, the sports hall of fame fundraising committee raised $200,000 through its bingo nights, and the fundraising project committee was charged with the job of raising $225,000.
Money was raised through canvassing, fundraising dinners and concerts, silent auctions as well as individual contributions.
