The Kahnawà:ke Minor Lacrosse Association started crowdfunding two years ago for a new, covered sports facility and now all that hard work is paying off.
“I like it because, if there’s going to be a roof, then we can go when it’s raining or snowing,” said 14-year-old lacrosse player Arahkwaison Paul.
“Everything’s coming together,” said coach Kirby Joe Diabo, who spearheaded the effort to raise nearly $100,000 for the project — a covered ice and lacrosse rink — in Kahnawà:ke, the Kanien’kehá:ka community on Montreal’s South Shore.
The Canada Economic Development (CED) for Quebec Regions granted an additional $750,000 to the Mohawk Council for this project. The funding comes from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, which helps communities build and improve community infrastructure projects as they rebound from the pandemic.
Providing year-round access, the new, full-sized rink will meet Ontario Lacrosse Association and Hockey Quebec standards, featuring boards, glass and protective netting.
When the project is fully completed, there will be automated lights and a refrigeration compressor for skating during the colder months. When the weather warms up, the rink will be used for lacrosse. Indoor lacrosse, also known as box lacrosse, is typically played on ice hockey rinks when the ice is covered or melted.
“We are incredibly excited to unveil this new outdoor rink, which represents a significant investment in our community’s health and well-being,” said Ratsenhaienhs lohahí:io Delisle, portfolio lead on health and acting lead on social support and development for Kahnawà:ke.
The Mohawk Council said it will start clearing trees next week, with plans to open an outdoor rink beside the Kahnawà:ke Sports Complex by next March.
Director of sports and recreation Roiahtate Horn said the old facility is too small, and adults and children are forced to share the space.
“We’ve needed a second surface with the growth of the community going up,” Horn said.
Diabo, who is vice-president of the lacrosse association, said the sport has been booming in popularity with an increasing number of teams every season.
“This is for our youth,” he said. “That’s why we did this.”
The covered rink will allow lacrosse to begin playing by late March, said Diabo.
“This is the start of many things to come,” he said.
In a news release, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, the federal minister responsible for CED, said the community will be able to access the rink at all times, in both summer and winter, whether to practise lacrosse or hockey.
“Our government takes to heart the economic development of communities of all sizes, across all regions,” Ferrada said.