It’s a testament to local community support when the supply goes beyond the demand, but that is the spirit of the town of Bruno.

For some time, a core of volunteers has been working toward the installation of artificial ice in the Bruno rink, and the committee announced earlier in the year that the fundraising had been completed and the ice could be put in place for this winter. At the beginning of December, the Bruno Co-op generously donated $20,000 to the project knowing that the ice plant would be just one of the needs at the arena. 

The members of the Artificial Ice Committee were more than grateful for that donation from a business that has been a pillar of the community for 78 years. Andria Lepage is a volunteer on that committee, and the community is delighted with the outcome of its hard work.

“Installation was completed and we had our first practice on the ice was December 8. Last weekend we had our first broomball tournament on it.”

In a town well known for its broomball prowess as well as an expanding hockey program, the advantages of artificial ice are not lost on Lepage and her colleagues on the committee.

“It’s the fact that we can stay later in the year and we can have good reliable ice. Even during warm spells in the winter months, sometimes the quality of ice became an issue.”

With the ice installed, Lepage explained that the committee will be targeting other areas of improvement for the arena. While there are a few possibilities, the donation is not targeted to any one project at this time. 

Lepage and her committee are grateful to the Bruno Co-op which operates a gas outlet, a small hardware store and provides agricultural supplies. 

“They’ve been a long-standing business in the community, and their continued support to go back to the community just goes to show how wonderful the board is. It’s great how people can support a local business and it comes back to help the community in the long run.”