Rich and Annie Murphy — owners of the Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club — have once again showed their incredible goodwill toward the city and its residents by donating $370,000 USD through their family foundation to modernize an aged ice rink.
The city announced last week that the Kids Rink in the Trail Memorial Centre will soon be a nearly year-round facility and will offer some free programming, thanks to generous funding from the Murphy Family Foundation. The funds of $370,000 USD over the span of six years will go toward rink upgrades to accommodate October through July operations and will cover costs to allow for some free programs, including community skates.
“We are so excited about this facility enhancement and free community programming,” said Trail Mayor Lisa Pasin. “With so many benefits for the entire community, we are grateful the Murphy Family Foundation sees value in investing in our youth, community, and infrastructure. Not only will the additional months allow for more community and free activities, we will be able to provide more ice time for private rentals, hockey team bookings, training camps and more.”
The aim is to complete required rink enhancements by mid-2023, including changes to flooring material and the installation of new insulation to maintain ice temperatures during warmer months. As well, municipal staff is working with the foundation to bring free Kids Rink programming to fruition with free community skates starting this month.
“As a foundation, we couldn’t be more excited for this project and to see longer ice availability for the community,” said Madelyn Murphy, director of the Murphy Family Foundation. “It may seem like just a rink, but what we see is all of the opportunities a renovated, nearly year-round facility will offer the youth and families of Trail: a high quality facility for the community to enjoy, the opportunity for families to not have to travel out of the community for hockey or skating camps, and the accessibility of ice time for young people at zero cost through Murphy Family Foundation free skates,” she adds.
“And those are just the initial opportunities we see — we know there are more to come.”
Read more: Murphy Foundation donates to Trail library
Read more: Foundation helps Trail high school buy a new set of wheels
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Details about the free community skates starting this February will be available at trail.ca/Events, the city’s Facebook page, and trailrecreation.ca. The city will also keep the community updated on the rink’s upgrade schedule and progress once the details have been finalized.
About the Murphy Family Foundation
The Murphy Family Foundation is a Minnesota based foundation focused on supporting organizations dedicated to youth development. With specific focuses on funding education, the arts, entrepreneurship, and sports programming for youth, the foundation is committed to the belief that every young person in every community has the right to thrive.
About the Kids Rink
The Kids Rink in the Trail Memorial Centre was built in 1953, four years after the construction of the Cominco Arena. The Kids Rink has a 70’ x 147’ ice surface, a viewing area from the McIntyre Room, and a small ice-side viewing area. The rink is used extensively for skating, hockey, private rentals and is equipped with laser light technology and a sound system.