A summer of upgrades and modernization is being celebrated at the Carlo Cattarello Arena in South Porcupine. The 85-year-old building – affectionately known as “The Barn” – is owned and operated by the South Porcupine Arena Association.
An official reveal today showed off the renovations and thanked a long list of contributors of cash, supply chain connections, equipment and workers.
Among those are mining companies, the city, and several local contractors. Part of the money was contributed by the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.
Arena association president Keith Grenke says all the dressing rooms were brought up to modern standards, and compressors for the ice-making equipment bought and installed.
“First turn of the key, they came on and they’re working well;” he remarks, “should save us a lot of money hopefully in hydro, wihch is a big cost at the Barn.”
Compressors push brine through pipes under the rink floor. Grenke says better flow means better ice.
