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Heard a rumor that the compressors @ the rink in Hallock are shot and that they even had to shut down the rink early this year. The cost to replace them will be $300,000 and they will need to be replaced before next season. Not sure how this will effect next season or where they'll get the money that fast.

If that is true that is very bad news. That program is very old, and very rich in tradition. They have been down for quite a while, but they take a lot of pride in thier program in Hallock. Best of luck, hope it gets resolved.

Despite the team struggles over the last decade, it would be tough to see a team leave a small northern rural community. Lets hope they are able to come up with the money.

I can't believe they would fold the program. There has been hockey in Hallock, at some level, for 100 years. Maybe they could practice on an outdoor rink or something and play games in Roseau or Warroad, or TRF or something.

Wouldn't Grafton or something be closer than Roseau etc. ?? I'm not sure, I know Hallock isn't too far from the ND border.

The rink in Emerson, Manitoba is the closest (about 20 miles away). It's kind of a dump, but it might work for the time being. The arena board would like the city of Hallock to in chip in $50,000 and the school to also chip in $50,000 and they would pick up the remaining $200,000 tab. For this size of town that quite a bit of money to raise. They plan to ask alumni to pledge a certain amount for a certain number of years. If anybody has any great fundraising ideas, I'd love to hear them and will pass them onto the appropriate parties. The Mighty Ducks rink program is no longer in existence, so that isn't an option. It would be great if the Wild could get involved (similar to the Twins' Diamonds and Dreams program). Any ideas or thoughts are welcome. Feel free to message me privately if you like.

NorthcoteCupGuy wrote:The cost to replace them will be $300,000 and they will need to be replaced before next season.

If they're paying $300,000 for 2 new compressors they're getting seriously ripped off...You should be able to get that work done for less than $100,000. Still a lot of money, but it's not $300,000.
Call Arena Systems out of Little Canada, MN (800-328-6808) they do refrigeration work for arenas.

Have they tore down Columbia Arena yet? The Super rink owns the property, and you might be able to buy those compressors.

Hallock is the birthplace of organized hockey in Minnesota...I have tournament shirt from there so I am hoping this information is true, it says birthplace of minnesota hockey anyway!!! It would be a true disaster I remember playing there and now I see my kids playing there hopefully they can get the problem resolved.

Anybody have any more news on this situation? Hopefull there is something that can be done.

I was talking to a couple of people that I thought would know more about this than I... They had no idea what they were going to be doing either, maybe just going around and asking for donations, I say they should put the kids to work have a few bbq's

Hallock Arena needs new compressor
- from the Kittson County Enterprise 3/14/07

Working at half capacity for most of the season, the compressors at the Hallock Ice Arena are tired. Not surprising, since they've lasted for over 25 years.

Built about 1975, the arena has seen little update and change. Still, the community is wrapping its arms around thoughts of an investment to keep the place producing ice and entertaining young and old.

Members of the Arena Board met with the Hallock City Council last Monday to ask for their financial support to purchase a new compressor system.

Cimco, one of three companies that the board received quotes from, is out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Said board member Kevin Klein. "We were very impressed with them."

The quote included the compressors for $160,730, the compatible floor system $48,344, and a new compressor, Zamboni room $100,000. "We figured that since we needed to construct something different for the compressors to be housed in, why not move the Zamboni room to the south end and we can use that space for extra locker rooms," stated Klein.

He also said that all the arena was looking for is dollar support for fixing the compressors and floor system, the rest the arena would raise. "We are just trying to come up with about $225,000."

They also said that the school [Kittson Central] had recently pledged its support with $75,000 from it's capital improvement fund.

City Clerk Hank Noel said, "Should the council decide to support this, the money can come out of the General Fund, there's a surplus."

Mayor Kim Turner named off some big projects coming the city's way that need funding, too, and wanted to be sure the dollars would be there. "I am fully behind this," said Turner, "I just need to throw this stuff out there to be sure that people understand what we're spending the money on and that we want to have enough to fund other necessities, too."

Councilman Paul Clay asked how the rest of the project would be funded. "We are officially starting tomorrow, kicking off our fundraising," said Dan Younggren. 'There will be a mass mailing to those that use the rink. Our plan is to get letters out to everyone in the entire area letting them know that we need to raise money."

Klein said that Cimco wants 25 percent of the project when the compressors are ordered. "It will take about 10 weeks from the time we order them to get them. Then about another two months to complete the project." He also said that the bid is only good until the end of March.

Council members voted unanimously to match the school's donation and give $75,000 towards the project. "It would be one-third, one-third, one-third from all three involved, arena, school and city," said Younggren. "We definitely have our share of the 25 percent for Cimco ready now."

"I was on the board when we installed the air conditioning system. I was there for the re-insulation. I know it looks like huge cash up front, but it doesn't have the large yearly expenses, like the pool, for instance," said Turner. "Besides, if it lasts us another 25 years, it is really worth it."

Anybody out there have updated news?

Everything's in and up and running. There is still work being done on some of the other parts of the project, but the ice has been in for 2 weeks and everything is a go.

There is a core group of people there who have spent countless hours and tons of money to get this project done. They are incredible people.

That is very good news

Thank you Mr. Ram

oldram wrote:Everything's in and up and running. There is still work being done on some of the other parts of the project, but the ice has been in for 2 weeks and everything is a go.

There is a core group of people there who have spent countless hours and tons of money to get this project done. They are incredible people.

Congratulations and thank you to all involved.

That's great.

Good for Hallock, congrats on your efforts.

I think there was an article in Let's Play Hockey a couple years ago regarding the compressor and rink situations in Minnesota. If I remember right, many facilities will/could have similar situations because of rink age, etc. Hopefully cities and towns are budgeting for the possibilities.

Didn't Bloomington have a similar situation with their main rink? I heard that they had dug down 14 feet into the soil (perma frost).