BOYLE – The Boyle Millview Arena has a new look for the Blazers’ home games this season, but the touch-up wasn’t just about community pride.
With help from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), the village was able to purchase the new arena liner, which is made of printed nylon mesh and is non-insulating, meaning the ice plant can operate at a higher set point.
“We know how important arenas are to Alberta families and our communities. Energy efficiency upgrades can carry a high price tag, which is why we’re pleased to help fund this project,” said Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz. “The new arena liner and other upgrades will help lower utility costs for Boyle, supporting fun at the rink for years to come.”
Related: Boyle’s Millview Recreation Complex gets 2024 upgrades
The increased efficiency will save an estimated 27,000 kilowatts a year (roughly $1,800 a year), and will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 14.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the converted measurement all greenhouse gases are converted into.
The liner will accompany the existing upgrades, including LED lighting and Realice cold water ice flooding projects at the arena as the municipality works to find ways to reduce its carbon footprint — and its energy bill.
“The MCCAC applying the Community Energy Conservation program to projects such as our arena liner project here in Boyle, provides small rural Alberta municipalities the opportunity to achieve sustainable cost savings in the operation of their recreational facilities while also doing their part in combating climate change,” said village Mayor Colin Derko.
The liner also removes the need for staff to paint the ice, which caused environmental hazards when it came to disposal, and caused ice installation to take longer.
Also new this year are livestreaming cameras, which will capture all the action for friends and family unable to make it out to the barn themselves. The cameras, which cost an additional $8,000, use AI technology to piece together three feeds seamlessly on the village’s Youtube page, free of charge.
