The future of Blewett’s seasonal skating rink could be in question if another winter brings limited opportunities to skate.
The Blewett Community Society is continuing to explore plans for a permanent, covered rink at Morning Mountain, but president Lukas Armstrong said the project remains in its early stages as the group awaits direction from the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
The society first presented the proposal to the RDCK in June, seeking support for a permanent concrete rink pad and a longer-term plan for a covered, year-round recreation facility.
The regional district accepted the application for review in September, but Armstrong says the project still needs support in principle before the society can begin more detailed planning and stakeholder consultations.
“It’s kind of a two-stage process where first, the RDCK has to decide whether they want to even support it, and if they do decide they want to support it, then they start to do the research required to investigate whether it makes any sense at all,” explained Armstrong.
“I believe we’re in the first stage where the RDCK is looking to understand if they want to move forward with it at all.”
Armstrong said the society plans to set up the existing outdoor rink again this winter, but another season of poor skating conditions could change that.
“If we get the same number of usable days as we did last year, I think it’s very likely that we may not set it up next year,” he said.
The rink has operated since 2017, but warmer winter temperatures have made maintaining the ice increasingly difficult, requiring more work from volunteers for fewer usable days.
“As we’re putting in the work to set up and then maintain the rink, only to recognize that we’re getting fewer and fewer usable days, it’s challenging,” said Armstrong. “It’s challenging to continue to find the energy out of a volunteer group to sustain that.”
The proposed permanent facility would aim to make winter skating more reliable while also creating a space for other recreational activities throughout the year.
Armstrong said the society wants to ensure the project benefits the wider community and all recreation groups, including the mountain biking community that uses Morning Mountain during the summer months.
“It’s our intention to create a venue that is four-season, that can be used as an ice rink in the wintertime, but through the shoulder seasons and the summertime really augments the rest of the activities that are happening on Morning Mountain,” said Amrstrong.
“We want to make the mountain bike community’s experience on the mountain better through this project,” he added, pointing to potential uses such as providing a shaded area, hosting training and classes, and staging events.
However, the society has yet to begin formal discussions with all the groups that could use the facility.
Armstrong said those conversations will depend on whether the RDCK supports the concept in principle, allowing the society to explore the options more thoroughly.
The proposed project has a preliminary price tag of about $875,000, but Armstrong noted the design and budget could change significantly as planning progresses.
He said the society would look at provincial grants, Columbia Basin Trust funding and other sources rather than expecting RDCK taxpayers to cover the full cost.
Armstrong also recognizes that residents may have concerns about the expense.
“We need to figure out how, if this project moves forward, it has to move forward in a way that doesn’t become an economic burden for the community,” he said.
For now, the society is waiting to learn whether the regional district will support further investigation into the proposal, with a decision expected by spring 2027.
Armstrong said the goal is to create a facility that is financially viable and provides benefits to as many people as possible.
“We’re not interested necessarily in creating controversy or creating a white elephant,” he said. “We want this to make sense from every perspective possible.”
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