Gray Rink

1915 - 1925

Walter Dunning initiated an open-air skating rink - the structure was built on his land just east of his home and he acted as ice-maker and caretaker. The walls were bales of straw piled two or three high and snow was melted in an open water tank by a cast iron stove placed in it. Grain car doors were placed on top to keep the heat in. The water was then scooped into a barrel with a sprinkler bar on the bottom, placed on a sled to be pulled up and down the ice to flood the surface. In 1917 Walter added wooden walls, rafters covered with page wire and flax straw to complete the first indoor rink. On windy days skaters were kept busy cleaning straw off the ice. Gas lanterns provided lighting. A granary was added to one end of the rink and a stove provided warmth for a heated waiting room. A small door was cut in the end adjacent to the ice and skaters stepped out onto the ice surface.

1926 - 1975

The building was constructed with volunteer labour and opened in 1926. A. Marty (blacksmith) threaded all the heavy brace rods and forged the rafter brackets in his shop. Leo Mowrey brought a dynamo (generator) from Milestone, powered by a one-cylinder motor, belt drive. Snow was melted and floods were performed with a boom on a barrel, pulled on a sleigh. Later an International motor from Tom Ashbaugh was used.
Skating, curling, broomball (with or without skates) - something was happening every night of the week.
Seasonal highlights included bonspiels (men's, women's, mixed), figure skating carnival and local hockey games.
In the summer, there was floor put down and a stage built - a big job as a piano was hauled in and brown paper put up above to keep the birds off. It was used for vaious community activities - wedding dances, fairs, etc.

John and Elsie Ford Wedding June 29 1946. And Betty Best (Elsies's sister).

The kitchen area was a happening spot during 'bonspiel' week. Locals organized the cafeteria (including homemade soup). Children got to come for their school lunch break. Wet mittens were dried (or burnt) on the old wood stove.

1975...

In 1974 plans were set for a new and improved structure with two sheets of curling ice, the rink (same dimensions as Maple Leaf Gardens 81' X 186'), a large kitchen/prep area and badminton courts (now also pickle ball) upstairs. Volunteer labour amounted to nearly 25,000 hours. The Grand Opening weekend was held March 4-6, 1975.

Renovations/upgrades over-the-years include; 1978 Zero-Zone ice plant for the curling ice, Zamboni garage built when a used Zamboni was purchased from Notre Dame College at Wilcox, 1983 Heritage Room (New Horizons initiative), 1993 exterior cladding, 2002 (NHLPA Goals and Dreams grant) new boards and plexiglass around ice, 2008 reconfigured dressing rooms upstairs, and in 2011 a major renovation to recapture some of the unused curling rink space.

CTV did a short feature on Gray during Hometown Tour June 9 2017. Includes rink footage.

CTV GRAY RINK STORY

The build: In 1973, the Gray Rink Board (Dean Boesch - President, Carl Gillis, Bob Lewis, Greg Kelly, Brock Burwell, Dave Helstrom, Ron Lewis) called a General Meeting to discuss a new rink venture. As a result a Building Committee was set-up and formed a Board of Directors for Gray Co-operative Recreation Centre Ltd. – Laurence Boesch Chairman, Bill Gillis Secretary, Norton Frei, Carl Gillis, Morley Gooding, Dave Helstrom, Hugh McGillivray, Greg Kelly, H.A. Lewis Treasurer and Audrey Bechard Payroll Clerk. Over the next months; Saskatchewan rinks were toured, community support was recruited and pledged, ideas were researched and analyzed, and in the spring of 1974 the plans were set. Through community outreach they had collected over $60,000 in donations for the project.
Bill Gillis received a call that a ‘deal could be had’ for a train car of 2” lumber that was already loaded but a commitment was required that day. He was only able to reach one other committee member and the decision was made to ‘go for it’. Community canvassing continued and structural diagrams were finalized. Mid-October (9, 10, 11) pilings were dug. By November 12, 1974 piles had been poured by Milton Rogne. Two under both ends of each rafter - 29' on an angle and one 16' down - a total of 48 piles!
Government funding that had been unavailable now came knocking on the doors. The program that proved most valuable to the project was the Winter Works grant – all labourers received a salary of $2.50/hr – and all chose to volunteer – in other words, turn the money back to the build. Nearly 25,000 hours were recorded by workers from Gray and Estlin (and some Riceton) and over $75,000 was payable back to the project. These funds constructed the skating rink and provided enough cash to build the curling rink.
Dring (now Western Archrib) Rafters (and a foreman) arrived and were erected over four days (December 2-5) using Wilbur Moats’ caterpillar for the pull. There weren't many volunteers willing to the be men straddling the rafters so the crew of six was assigned for the duration; Roy Black, Wilbert Bonsor, Carl Gillis, Dave Helstrom, Vern Henry and Hugh McGillivray.
Workers were in shirtsleeves on December 12. The first snow that year didn’t come until December 13 and sheathing was completed by December 22 with a skating party the next day!
Demolition of the old rink began early January 1975 – and thanks to Shoop Lafoy’s nail-pulling, nearly all of the lumber was used for the new build.
Shingling happened in the spring of 1975. This was a dauntless task with the crew never faltering. Hal Lewis stated he counted 62 people on the roof at one time! Sometimes three generations from one family were represented. The final structure is 225’x96’ with the ice surface being 186’x81’. The two-sheet curling rink is 150’x36’.
A skate-a-thon scheduled in March raised over $3500 to purchase kitchen equipment. It is often acknowledged that the size and location of the kitchen and equipment placement was well-thought out and this area still serves the community well.
Interior finishing involved hours and hours of work; four dressing rooms (two upstairs, two main floor), bathrooms, a multi-purpose room upstairs and a well appointed kitchen/concession area.
The Grand Opening was scheduled March 4, 5 and 6. A carnival Friday evening included performances from the Gray Figure Skating Club, costume contests and races. The next day a pancake breakfast was followed by a curling bonspiel and full schedule of hockey games (the last couldn’t happen due to warm weather). A cabaret at the Gray Memorial Hall rounded out the day of activities. The official ceremony was scheduled Sunday afternoon. Flag bearers skated in leading the dignitaries. Dianne Burrows performed Oh Canada. Reverend Laird White dedicated memorials. Government representatives were invited to say a few words. The ribbon cutting was performed by two of the youngest skaters (Lance Levsen and Renee Purves) and two of the eldest (KC and Jo Gillis) in the community.
A great weekend of activities to commemorate a great community facility!

Misc photos over the years...

... putting in ice, projects, events...

Stanley Cup visit in 2005.
John Ford recognition RBC Local Hockey Leader in 2007.

Can we list all of the rink caretakers?

Merv Steve (1963-64), Con Bechard, Ken Bechard, John Ford, Shoop Lafoy (1948-49)

Submit any additions, years through Contact Us...

2011-12 Renovation

Gray Rink was fortunate to access a Heritage Legacy Fund grant to enable a long-pondered renovation. The unused curling area would be recreated as usable square footage. It would provide additional indoor dining space (Friday Suppers and Sunday Breakfasts often host up to 100 guests at a time) and museum displays.
Volunteers donated their time (over 2500 hours) and as always, local companies donated products and/ or labour to the build.
The museum is a work in progress with contributions adding to the collection. Highlights include #306 Sports Hall of Fame, grid map ceiling, three-town diorama and numerous artifacts.

Thanks to all the volunteers (apologies if you were missed in naming you weren’t in appreciation):
Bob Balfour, Blair Bechard, Con Bechard, Ken Bechard, Curtis Beingessner, Kris Boesch, Lori Boesch, Crystal Brunas, Todd Brunas, John Burwell, Bill Carnegie, Sheila Carnegie, Ginny Carpenter, Paul Collins, Colin Ford, John Ford, Randy Frei, Donna Frei, Patrick Garbutt, Gord Glaze, Bruce Gooding, Dale Gooding, Duke Gooding, Darren Helstrom, Dave Helstrom, Dianna Herron, John Herron, Brett Kuski, Deanne Lalibertie, Randy Lalibertie, Mike Lapierre, Bob Lewis, Rod Lewis, Todd Lewis, Darin Lindblad (Brownlee Beaton Kreke), Nelda Mcdonald, Rod Mcdonald, Byron Maloney, Kacee Maloney, Lee Moats, Reid Mossing, Doug Myers, Joey Myers, Peter Novak, Dolly Picard, Mike Rebman, Lyle Renner, Warren Wallace, Barb Wilson, Dave Windecker, Leonard Wozney

And to the sponsors/contributors:
Canadian Heritage – Building Communities through Arts and Heritage
Farm Credit Canada
R.M. of Lajord #128
In memory of Morley Gooding
Arrow Plumbing and Heating
Prairie Boy Windows
Gray Farm Equipment
Nordic Electric
Brownlee Beaton Kreke Consulting Engineers