Elliot Lake gets $3M donation for arena repairs, but rink won't re-open until next year

Another Elliot Laker with deep pockets has given the city a big boost in its push to re-open its only arena, shut down since September 2023.

The city has announced that is receiving a $3 million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for renovating the 56-year-old Centennial Arena, that was closed out of fears its wooden structure could collapse.

Edward is the chairman of Rogers Communications and Suzanne was born and grew up in Elliot Lake, until her father died in a mining accident in 1968.

Deputy Mayor Charlie Flintoff says she comes up quietly every year for the day of mourning held to remember the workers who died in local mines, saw the construction fencing around the arena and asked the city if she could help. 

"Edward and I wanted to support and make a significant impact to the community and the City of Elliot Lake, bringing families into the arena this winter and throughout the year," Suzanne Rogers said in a press release. 

"Elliot Lake holds a special place in my heart and will always be a part of my life."

The donation, which apart from structural repairs will also pay for upgrades to the lobby and seating at the rink, will see it renamed Rogers Arena.

This comes on top of the $250,000 Elliot Lake won in the Hockey Contest and $1 million in smaller amounts donated to the arena repairs, including $300,000 from former Elliot Lakers Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong.

Flintoff says "tears" came to his eyes with the Rogers donation, but he says the city is lucky to have former residents willing to pay for repairs to public infrastructure.

"You know that's $3 million that helps ever citizen in Elliot Lake," he said.

"But it's hard on the taxpayers, you know, we apply for all the grants, but somewhere this has got to get fixed."

Fintoff says the goal is to re-open the arena in January, welcoming back minor hockey players, figure skaters and the Vikings junior hockey team who have been travelling out of town for games and practices for more than a year.

"This arena, when we do turn the key, will be fixed properly. We won't be revisiting this in four or five years. It's going to be a 40-year fix," he said.

The arena was just the latest infrastructure woe for the small city of 11,000, including the deadly roof collapse at the Algo Centre Mall in 2012 and another roof collapse in 2019, that led to the demolishing of the Pearson arts centre in 2019.

Flintoff says the new downtown arts centre should open next month, along with Elliot Lake's swimming pool, that's been down for repairs for the past two years.

He says it will be relief for everyone at city hall when the public is welcomed back into these facilities.

"You're still running the city and you still have other infrastructure to do, water treatment plants and the roads," Flintoff said.

"I've said to people, 'I can't wait until people are having a swim in our pool and are back in Elliot Lake, coming to a hockey tournament.'"