The building and the man both received honours. Elgar Petersen, the man the arena is named after, received a special honour on the ice right before the puck dropped for Game 2 of the Humboldt Broncos' series against the Flin Flon Bombers on March 23.Petersen, seated in a wheelchair and flanked by his sister Evelyn and her husband Frank Tarnowski, was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by city councillor Linda Mattock. Petersen received the medal in recognition of his outstanding service to the citizens of Humboldt through his dedicated volunteer services to the Humboldt Broncos. "Your role with the Humboldt Broncos has earned you the respect and admiration of our community," Mayor Malcolm Eaton told Petersen at the ceremony. "You serve as a role model who exemplifies what a dedicated volunteer can accomplish and through this service, you have made a lasting impression on players, coaches and hockey fans of all ages."Fans around the arena rose from their seats, clapping and cheering, as Petersen was presented with his medal and certificate. Petersen smiled and clapped along with them at one point in the ceremony.The City of Humboldt also recognized the 30th anniversary of Humboldt Uniplex, which contains the Elgar Petersen Arena, during the ceremony.The Uniplex opened its doors to the community 30 years ago with the mission of providing top-notch recreational and social actitivies in one location. At the time, the Uniplex consisted of the arena, curling rink and community hall, and the facility was the culmination of many years of hard work by a number of dedicated community members. The Uniplex has since grown to include the aquatic centre, Humboldt Collegiate Institute and Carlton Trail Regional College, as well as office space for the Humboldt Broncos hockey club and other community organizations.Representatives of the original building committee were recognized during the short ceremony. Those included Gerald Hergott, the chair of the project committee, who was in the crowd for the game that night. Other committee chairs included, Don James (finance), Cliff Hagerty (management), Jack Peck (building), Doug Still (public relations).
