Crowdfunding campaign underway for refrigeration system at the Fort Coulonge arena

Crowdfunding campaign underway for refrigeration system at the Fort Coulonge arena

The board of directors of the Coopérative des loisirs des Draveurs has decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to help provide the arena with a new refrigeration system. The recreation coordinator for Fort-Coulonge and Mansfield, Guillaume Lavoie-Harvey, explained the importance of the new project.

“The crowdfunding campaign is directly related to the ice cooling system. The arena itself is still in super good condition, there were extensive renovations to the infrastructure a few years ago. The shell and the interior of the structure are in great shape, but obviously the cooling system is outdated. It’s an old system that runs on ammonia. There are new systems that are much more efficient, which are also safer and more durable,” Lavoie-Harvey said (translated).

Their initial goal is $35,000 for the first essential bit of equipment.

“Our community has always come together at the arena. Hockey games, tournaments, festivals, and more. This building represents a glimpse of what our wonderful county has to offer. It’s a place where you feel right at home. Generation after generation have skated on this same ice, and now our arena needs the help of the community. After almost 2 years of closure, and still using the same refrigeration system that was originally installed, the arena is in imminent danger. Realistically, in 3 to 5 years we will need to replace the entire system, which will cost $350,000. We are able to buy this system piece by piece and the first part needed costs $35,000. We will apply for grants and do everything in our power to raise this money, but we will need the help of our community to achieve our goal. This is a big amount of money and the arena has a brand new board of directors that is dedicated to fundraising throughout the season. Stay tuned. We will post our projects and updates here and on our Facebook page. Our communities are strong and resilient. We have been through some very difficult times, and have always become stronger and we know that together we can save our arena!” the GoFundMe description reads (translated).

The link for the GoFundMe is available here.

The full (French-language) interview with Lavoie-Harvey, is available here.