Day & Ross Community Centre opens to packed house and excitement
It was decades in the making and slightly delayed in the final days, but Hartland’s new era began with an aura of excitement and accomplishment on Friday, Nov. 15.
The luxurious Day & Ross Community Centre welcomed a packed crowd to its first public event as the Hartland Community School Huskies hosted its Upper Valley rivals, the Nackawic High School Nighthawks, in an NBIAA hockey matchup.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Mayor Tracey DeMerchant.
She stood among the crowd in the building’s expansive front lobby before participating in the ceremonial puck drop and singing the first national anthem in Hartland’s “new barn.”
The new community centre replaced the aging Hartland Arena, one of the last New Brunswick facilities built during Canada’s centennial celebrations in 1967.
DeMerchant acknowledged the decades of community commitment to overcome numerous challenges leading to Friday’s special moment.
After years of planning, Hartland and New Brunswick officials turned the sod to begin the facility’s construction in October 2022. Two years later, the Day & Ross Community Centre opened its doors to turn “a dream into a reality,” an oft-repeated opening-night phrase.
Demerchant said the delays leading to opening night are now in the past.
“Nothing that wasn’t worth waiting for,” she said.
Outgoing Hartland CAO Rob Webber praised the many people who worked tirelessly over the years and even decades to deliver on what began as only a distant vision.
“It’s great to see that work become a reality,” he said.
The opening is one of Webber’s final events as Hartland’s CAO before he moves across the province to take a similar job in Five Rivers. While being present for the final chapter of years of challenge, his thoughts went to those who gave toil, money, commitment and expertise to deliver an ideal facility for the community.
“This project was promoted, advocated for and worked on by a lot of people that are here tonight, who date back over 20 years,” Webber said. “So for them it’s a really good day.”
Several members of the centre’s building committee and fundraising committee, Friends of Hartland Inc., attended opening night and joined the mayor for the ceremonial puck drop.
Ken Harding, the retired Woodstock CAO, was a building committee member. He said opening night made the committee members’ many meetings to overcome challenges well worth the effort.
The Day & Ross Community Centre delivers much more than a hockey rink. It provides an ideal setting for trade shows, entertainment events, conventions, daily recreation and social activities.
Project engineer Brent Pearson of Pearson Engineering explained the modern facility is designed to meet the community’s needs.
He said it was the biggest project he has worked on.
“It was challenging, like any project of this size. Basically, you go after those challenges. Deal with the issues as they come up. That’s all part of engineering,” Pearson said.
Standing above the packed stands lining one side of the ice surface, opposite the players’ benches, penalty boxes and announcer booth, Pearson explained what the multi-faceted facility offers.
In addition to an arena with excellent sightlines, he explained the building includes meeting rooms, offices, a weight room, a beautiful community room with a kitchen, a well-functioning canteen and an expansive lobby. A cushioned walking track encircles the arena.
Two of the hundreds of fans of all ages taking in Hartland’s “new barn” opening night were acutely familiar with the community’s “old barn,” the Hartland Arena.
Gary Smith of Lakeville and Ivan Shaw of Simonds spent years as teammates and linemates on the former Hartland Senior Hockey Sabres, playing out of the old arena. Both, wearing their old Sabres jackets, said they were “thrilled” to attend opening night at the Day & Ross Community Centre.
The opening event will deliver lasting memories to the teenagers making up the HCS Huskies, as announcer Tony Grant introduced them one by one to the cheers of the vast crowd.
After Mayor DeMerchant led the singing of O Canada, Hartland’s Day & Ross Community Centre era began as the Huskies and Nighthawks faced off for its inaugural event.
The mayor described the Nov. 15 event as opening night, noting the town will host a grand opening in the spring.
