First official outdoor rink at Siksika Nation now open

Skating, shinny and more can now be enjoyedata new outdoor rink on the Siksika Nation that officially opened to the public on Tuesday.

The Calgary Flames Outdoor Rink was celebrated in a ceremonyinvolving drumming and dancing at the Siksika Deerfoot Sportsplex.

In attendance weremembers of the Siksika Nation including Elder Alvine Eagle Speaker and Chief Ouray Crowfoot, as well as members of the CalgaryFlames, Hitmen,RoughnecksandStampeders.

The outdoor rink is thefirst of its kind on the nation, and will serve about 4,000 people in the area, including six nearby schools.

It was built in a partnership between the nation, Siksika Health Services, theCalgary Flames Foundation and the Calgary Hitmen Foundation.

Crowfootsays the rink is an important addition to the area, and is especially excited for the community's youth to use the ice.

Hesays there can be a lot of financial barriers to sport, and the partnership with the foundations helps take away some of those barriers.

"[With] hockey, especially,equipment costs money, rink timecosts money soif we can break down some of those barriers and make it more accessible, you give those kids a lot more opportunity than they would have any other way," he said at the ceremony.

Jeffrey McCaig, chairman of theboard of directors at the Calgary Flames Foundation,attended the event and shared his own fond memories of growing up playing hockey.

"We know this rink will be used for much for than hockey and we could not be happier to be a small part of that," said McCaig.

"We are proud of our partnership with the SiksikaNation and the incredible programs, the education, the sharing of ideas and the community initiatives and games that this partnership has resulted in."

In the summer of 2021, the Calgary Flames Foundation unveiled its Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) Inclusion Program, which promised a $2 million sum to go toward sport inclusion through the foundation.

Siksika Health Service's partnership with the CSEC has lead to events like the now-annualEvery Child Matter Calgary Hitmen Game, which will take place mid-January next year.