New Bothwell may seem like a sleepy little town with their population of under 1,000, but they know how to dream big and get things done.

In 2023, the community’s main source of outdoor recreation, the outdoor rink, received a $600,000 facelift thanks to six visionaries on the recreation committee, as well as some generous local donors.

Today, the rink is jacketed by an impressive pole shed structure with metal cladding all the way around. The roof is fire-rated and insulated, and an LED lighting system illuminates the vast interior.

As far as its creators are concerned, the design is one of a kind.

While the north- and south-facing walls are solid, the length of the building is comprised of custom-built canvas curtains that can be raised or lowered, depending on the weather outside.

The curtains help to regulate internal temperatures, preventing melt on sunny days and offering patrons protection from chilly winds. It also incubates the ice, to some degree, keeping it from melting as quickly.

Travis Doerksen, the Ward 1 councillor for the RM of Hanover and a New Bothwell resident, is one of the people behind the project, which took only two years to complete from when the idea was first born.

“We came up with this pole structure design and decided it was the route we would take because it was more permanent,” Doerksen says. “[In terms of] longevity, it was going to be way better than some other structures that we’d seen.”

With pragmatism in mind, the structure was designed to extend past the rink boards about 12 feet on one end to make the facility useful 12 months of the year.

“We want to put a stage there so that, at our summer carnival, we can host bands, or for weddings or socials,” says Doerksen.

The vision began in the fall of 2021, a brainchild of Doerksen’s and the local recreation committee. Wasting no time, the group applied for their first provincial government grant through the Building Sustainable Communities program.

With the $75,000 they received, they dug right into phase one, installing an asphalt floor and surrounding it with new boards. With the addition of asphalt, the ice would stay cooler for a few more weeks during the winter months. In summer, it would provide an excellent surface for a variety of functions.

Upon completion of phase one, the committee sat down with contractors and RM administrators to design the kind of rink cover that would stand the test of time.

By early 2023, they were applying for their second government grant. This one had a 50/50 cost share requirement attached to it. The committee would have to fundraise.

“We ended up running significantly overbudget because of some engineering changes,” says Doerksen. “Our initial budget was around $425,000. We received a grant for up to $300,000—but whatever we used, we had to match.”

The fundraising campaign quickly got underway and soon funds were coming in from local corporate sponsors and private donors alike.

Two of New Bothwell’s larges industries invested about one-third of the needed funds: Bothwell Cheese and Accurate HD. In lieu of those donations, the companies’ names are boldly displayed on the exterior of the rink.

In order to expedite the build prior to the 2023–24 season, Doerksen and his team secured some funding from the RM’s recreation reserve fund, to be replaced by donations as they come in.

As well, advertising signage inside the structure is being sold to help with the revenue stream.

“My fundraising goal was in the $250,000 mark,” Doerksen says. “We have not reached that goal yet.”

Despite the unseasonably warm winter to date, Doerksen says he’s pleased to see the amount of use the rink has been getting. And not just from residents of the community, either. Doerksen says it’s been a draw for residents from all over southeast Manitoba.

“If it’s -25 and 50 kilometre an hour winds, you drive around and you don’t see many people skating on the outdoor rinks,” Doerksen says. “When you come to New Bothwell to skate, there’s 10 or 20 cars in the parking lot [all the time].”

For casual skating, the facility is open most every day from morning to night. There is no cost for its use. The community recreation centre, situated right next to the rink, is available for groups to rent, and the rink will be a handy amenity to have close by.

In late February, the rink will host its first hockey tournament.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony has been planned for February 3. Fittingly, it falls on the Saturday of the annual New Bothwell Winter Carnival.

“It was one of those things where we had a vision and a dream and the question became, ‘How do we make this a reality?’” Doerksen says. “It took a whole bunch of hard work and a never quit [mentality]. In the end, it worked out really well for our community.”