The Inverness Area Project
The Inverness Arena project team
Efforts to establish the first rink in Inverness began shortly after WWI. The first known organized outdoor rink was completed around this period and sat where the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission building stands today. The boards were built using solid maple, the ice was protected with a coverall, and dressing rooms were also constructed. The rink served as home to many heated hockey games with teams from across the region journeying to Inverness to do battle. In the mid-thirties, the rink moved from the aforementioned location on Central Avenue to Campbell street. As is recorded in Neddy MacDonald and Donald Gillis’ book, Inverness Centennial 1904-2004, “It had all the conveniences of the Central Avenue location, plus an exceptionally good lighting system, completely fenced in and, a safeguard against the Gulf winds, a row of sturdy fir trees supported the eight foot fence.”
A few years afterwards, Father Alexander J. MacIsaac came onto the scene. The third full-time pastor at Stella Maris Church was a hockey fanatic who eventually convinced his congregant carpenters and tradesmen to build another outdoor rink to the rear of the church. The rink was built to be disassembled for the summer months, and was generally well used. In addition to these rinks, many other ponds, rivers, and ice surfaces were utilized for winter time recreation. Sportsmen and women would gather on River Street, Fraser’s Pond, the Big River, MacLeod’s Lake, MacIsaac’s Pond and anywhere else a skate could glide in order to get their fix.
From the 1950s until the early 1970s, the sporting scene in Inverness was relatively calm compared to the initial frenzy of the early 20th century. However things began to change for the better. In the 1960s, a group of enthused citizens approached the Stella Maris Parish and negotiated a lease of park property under the name of the Inverness Recreation Committee, and after their efforts, a resurgence of standardbred horse racing came to the community. Once the horse racing had taken hold, involved locals began to turn their attention to other areas their actions could prove useful. As the book recounts, “In 1972 they met with a group from Antigonish who had successfully concluded a campaign of funding for a new arena... In a four-hour session, they picked the brains of the Antigonishers and headed for the office of Allan J. MacEachen to apply for their first Local Initiative Grant (LIGP). The late Doc MacMillan gave a huge helping hand and before year's end they received $30,000 funding from the federal government - a beginning for the new arena. The seed money was small but sufficient to provide the impetus to go forward. They appealed to the busiest person in the town of Inverness to head their campaign - Dr. Bernard MacLean.”
“Dr. Bernie had two young daughters who were in a figure skating program and had to go all the way to Port Hawkesbury to find ice time. He was also aware of the necessity of an ice surface for all of the south of the community and accepted, without hesitation, the chairmanship of the committee...” The team worked non-stop, following the ‘pattern of the Antigonish group by arranging a legal corporate structure, setting up dates for regular meetings, and establishing a target for community giving, and the rest is history.’
As Dr. Bernie said many years ago, the ‘first approach (in building the arena) must be to the community’s pocketbook.’ This is a prime example of the desire from the outset to ensure that the Inverness Arena was built and maintained through the generosity and commitment of Invernessers, who want to support the organizations that make this place home.
The Inverness Arena, now christened as the Dr. Bernie MacLean Cultural and Recreation Centre, recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary. It stands as evidence of the extraordinary things that can be accomplished when locals support local. As residents of a small community, Invernessers must remain conscious of the importance of supporting businesses and organizations that exude the values of Inverness - commitment to community, dedication to culture, and above all respect for others.
The Inverness Historical Society stands with the Dr. Bernie MacLean Cultural and Recreation Centre, and supports the amazing work all its volunteers and staff do. We remain committed, as all good Invernessers do, to ensuring that the Inverness Arena continues to serve as the heart of our community formany more years to come!
Source Material:
Inverness Centennial, 1904-2004. By Donald L. Gillis and Ned MacDonald.