Millarville group aims high, seeks $1M for new arena after collapse from freak snowfall

Insurance will cover some of it, they plan to kick in their own money and even debt is an option, but an Alberta ag society is hoping to fundraise a cool $1 million for a replacement arena that some say is the bedrock of surrounding communities.

"The building was demolished. It had to be taken down," Brent Foster told CBC News.

He's the president of the Millarville Racing and Agricultural Society and he's describing the old arena that was hit by a freak snowfall in March which collapsed the roof.

"Part of it was some integrity issues with the trussesbut for the most part, it was the snowload," he said.

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Built in 1984, the arena was the home to many user groups and events for adjacent communities south of Calgary.

"It's essentially part of the bedrock on Millarville and the surrounding communities, Turner Valley, Black Diamond, Priddis and Okotoks. We have a large following from Calgary for the farmers market and Christmas market," Foster said.

"It's something that we believe the community needs."

The society put out a request for proposals and they like the looks of what Airdrie's Ironwood Building Corp. can do for them, after gathering feedback from user groups and working with insurance and the municipal district on development permits and a one-time charitable status for donations.

"We have narrowed it down to what kind of building we want for the longer term. This is a building for the future, not for the now," Foster said.

100K people through gates annually

After insurance money and other funds the society has on hand are used, the group will need about $1 million to cover three phases of the project, which Foster says includes much-needed and improved washroom facilities.

"When you get 100,000 people going through your gates a year, the current washroom facilities weren't adequate," he said.

The arena is used by local 4-H chapter, agricultural fairs, equine and motorcycle shows and dog agility and archery groups, and of course, the higher profile farmers and Christmas markets.

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