Moosomin Communiplex was awarded $25,200 by Red River Mutual’s Spruce Up Your Story Initiative.
“The Spruce Up Your Story initiative isn’t about bringing a brand-new rec centre or library to life – rather, it honours and protects beloved spaces that already exist in our brokers’ communities – the places where stories are already being made,” said Jennifer Ewankiw, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing at Red River Mutual.
This grant is one of many donations that helped fund the renovation projects at the Communiplex that was started in part to make sure that people had jobs during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“When we got shut down with COVID-19, we had some time to do stuff. We wanted to keep our staff on, so we reached out to different groups. Minor Hockey reached out to some different groups. We were able to come up with a list of sponsors. Red River Mutual’s Spruce Up Your Story, was a contest that people in the insurance business told me about early in the summer. We applied through their grant process,” said Mike Schwean, Director of Parks and Recreation for the town of Moosomin.
Moosomin Communiplex was one of 10 winners and the money will be put towards the ongoing upgrades and renovations happening at the Communiplex.
“With help from a $25,200 grant from Red River Mutual’s Spruce Up Your Story initiative, the community can update the rink’s changing rooms with new paint, floor mats and benches – making sure they can continue to support the kids’ skating programs that run throughout the winter months,” said Ewankiw.
The rink will also get some technological upgrades.
“The new score clock came from the city of Prince Albert, and we are putting in a tracking camera at center ice, so you will be able to buy an app and watch the game on there,” said Schwean.
The basement of the Communiplex is where most of the renovations have been taking place.
“Everything down there is being painted. The floors are all redone, the mats are all redone. Every room down here was gutted, the benches installed, everything was taken out and repainted. Everything in here is brand new in all six of the rooms (in the basement). It is really like a whole different basement. It used to be old and dungy,” said Schwean.
Schwean acknowledged that it was all thanks to Red River Mutual and the other local sponsors that made these renovations possible.
“It’s not something we could do without sponsors. We just kind of band-aid stuff together. I have been here 31 years and we have never gone to this extent with fix ups,” said Schwean.
Various groups and companies donated to help with the latest improvements at the Communiplex
Exterior Painting sponsored by Red River Mutual.
Upstairs bathrooms sponsored by R.M. of Moosomin.
Ice surface new centre ice score-clock sponsored by Moosomin Minor Hockey and Moosomin Senior Rangers.
Bleachers painting sponsored by Borderland Co-op and Red River Mutual.
Live Centre Ice Camera and app system sponsored by Sharpe’s Soil Service and IKS Media in Regina.
Basement, all south rooms, new matting, benches, painting, lighting, room additions sponsors include, Red River Mutual, Pharmasave, Moosomin Moose Fraternity Moosomin Elks Club Easton’s Autobody, Moosomin, Kinsmen Club, Nixon’s Electric, Jeanot Electric, Hebert Grain Ventures, Moosomin Mustangs, Moosomin Minor Hockey Association, Crescent Point, Borderland Co-op.
