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Time is right to say thanks

There is no doubt that Spectra Place will be the place to be in Estevan for major events that require sizable crowds. It also appears as if this city's newest public facility will be able to accommodate the demands that will be put on it.


There is no doubt that Spectra Place will be the place to be in Estevan for major events that require sizable crowds.

It also appears as if this city's newest public facility will be able to accommodate the demands that will be put on it.

With ramped up staffing and a new push being applied to tend to details and rectify any minor glitches, it seems as if Spectra Place is ready to roll out the welcome mat to a regular stream of users.

There are a number of small, detailed items still to be completed on the construction side, but those will be tended to, we are sure, by the time the public is ready to place the big demands on this complex that has integrated very nicely into the entire leisure centre family.

Last Friday night's concert featuring Tom Cochrane and Kim Mitchell provided a great test for the facility and its keepers and, for the most part, it, and they, were up to the challenge.

There were rumoured reports of some people wanting to make their way to the concert, but being unable to procure tickets online in the last few days leading up to the concert itself. A local ducat distributor became available about a week before the concert which hopefully alleviated that problem.

The lineups for liquor were addressed on Friday night when it became apparent that something needed to be done to speed up the distribution problem there with over 2,000 people in attendance.

Naturally the big test for Spectra Place will come with the introduction of ice and a full schedule of users later this summer and fall. By then we expect the major kinks will have been ironed out and both players and fans will be able to enjoy the full extent of all that the complex can offer including expanded dressing rooms, comfortable seats, well designed suites, welcoming lounges and concession areas and an accommodating foyer complete with easy access entrances and exits.

So at this juncture, it's time for us, as one of the voices of the community, to stand up and holler at the top of our lungs at our local fundraising and building committee great job, well done, you did it, we did it and the end results are pretty spectacular.

It's been a frantic five years for you all, but you stayed the course and got it done.

We were there when the groundbreaking shovels were placed in the ground, thanks to funding assistance from both senior governments and a committed community that was charged with the task of raising $6 million to make it happen. Well, five years later, that $6 million became $8 million and the pressure was taken off local taxpayers and Estevan has a facility that is a provincial jewel.

So congratulations and thank you.