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Ice rink, artificial-turf field eyed for Spectrum Community School

Spectrum Community School is not only looking at putting in an artificial-turf field, a “pop-up” ice rink is also being considered for its Burnside Road West grounds.
Spectrum Community School
Spectrum Community School

Spectrum Community School is not only looking at putting in an artificial-turf field, a “pop-up” ice rink is also being considered for its Burnside Road West grounds.

Both will be part of a feasibility study that will soon be underway, Spectrum principal Bruce Bidney said.

He said the school fields have been a big issue over the years and work has been done on getting one with an artificial surface. The rink would fit in with hockey programs being run at Spectrum.

A group calling itself the STAR (Spectrum Turf and Rink) committee had its first feasibility meeting last week.

“We’ve invited community partners, various soccer organizations, B.C. Hockey, the Spectrum PAC, we’ve invited our neighbour schools like Colquitz, Glanford,” Bidney said. “So we’re just trying to get all the community interest and start from there.

“We’re basically going to be out there looking to see if this is feasible. Is it practical, can we make this happen?”

The goal is to enable proponents “to move forward on making the dream become real.”

Bidney said there are successful models of similar school rinks, in particular at Shawnigan Lake School.

“They have a pop-up rink out at Shawnigan Lake and that’s what we sort of based our vision on.”

The outside shell of the rink is a specially designed fabric, he said, something that cuts down on cost and construction time.

The Shawnigan rink cost $8 million, but the Spectrum rink and field are not at a stage yet for cost estimates.

Money for the field and rink would have to come from sources other than the Greater Victoria school district, school board chairwoman Jordan Watters said.

“They’re going to have to find partners to fund such a thing, and ongoing maintenance,” Watters said. “They’ve been working really hard to see what they can make happen. It’s not something that we could fund, and they’re aware of that.

“Certainly, the board motion indicates our support for exploring the option.”

Bidney said a close look has been taken at the process that led to an artificial field being put in at Oak Bay High.

“We’re looking at working with the District of Saanich, as well.”

The rink idea makes the Spectrum vision unique, Bidney said.

“We have the hockey academy, also we work with B.C. Hockey,” he said. “They have a midget team and a minor-midget team — they’re called the South Island Royals, they play out of our school.”

Spectrum currently uses the ice at Pearkes Recreation Centre.

“Everything’s expanding, our school population is growing, so there’s just that real need for facilities,” Bidney said.

jwbell@timescolonist.com