Bowles, Gray, LeBrun arenas closing, but interest grows in their future uses

The $40-million four-pad ice surface facility planned for Dartmouth has left three hockey rinks slated for closure in 2017, but their future uses might yet add to Halifax's sporting history.

The Bowles Arena andthe Gray Arenain Dartmouth and the LeBrun Recreation Centre in Bedford willall be considered surplusafter the 4-pad opens on land bordering theBurnsideIndustrial Park and Dartmouth Crossing, but local residents have an eye onthe arenas to use forcurlingand even baseball.

When former pro baseball player Darren Doucette walks into the Bowles Arena, he sees a lot of potential. He hopes one of the three buildings can be transformed into a baseball training facility.

"I think we're the only region in Canada without a permanent, full-time training facility for baseball and it's well overdue", said Doucette, who played seven seasons of minor-league professional baseball.

He currently runs his own baseball academy but operates it out of Hants County because HRM doesn't have a quality facility.

Doucette, who led the Dartmouth Moosehead Dry to a pair of national championships,says one of the old hockey arenas should continue to serve recreational needs.

"You could have batting cages which can be removed so others sports can use it," he said. "You could use it as a seniorsrecreation centre during the day when it's empty. There's a lot of possibilities for it."

The BowlesArena has already been discussed by another group looking to take it over: the Dartmouth Curling Club.

"We've spoken to many councillors and the mayor's office as well,"said Steve Breed, manager of business development with the club.

They have more than 500 members at the 81-year-old club and already have an offer to sell their Canal Street property to a local business.

"We can't grow and all we do is pour money into an older building and we're kind of like treading water,"said Breed. "When the idea of a four-pad came up it kind of meshed with our desire to find a future home."

The curling club is near the massive King's Wharf development on the Dartmouth waterfront and selling it shouldn't be difficult.

That process allows council to make the final decision on the future of the old arenas.