By Anna Dwyer
When a minor hockey team from St. John’s got trounced by New Brunswick players in Moncton in 1971, one parent’s plan for a rebound created a community legacy. Young hockey dad David Riche was so impressed by the Moncton facilities that he returned home determined to build an arena. Despite the obvious need, obstacles were daunting. But Riche was a grinder. He would skate around the pylons – elbows up, of course!
“At that time, there was no indication the City was willing to take on any project to provide indoor ice facilities for children,” said Riche. “This was causing considerable frustration because the need was definitely there, but some thought it was just too big of an undertaking.”
At the time, the Avalon offered few practice opportunities for hockey players and figure skaters. Memorial Stadium was the main option for the general public. Three other rinks – St. Bon’s Forum, Fieldian Gardens, and the Prince of Wales Arena – were owned and operated by denomination-based associations. At times, children found themselves preparing for tournaments and competitions on backyard rinks.
So Riche placed an ad in a newspaper and found himself in a room with nearly 50 parents. Intrigued, they wondered: can private citizens build a public rink? One of those parents was Rosemary Marshall, all-star hockey mom to three sons.
“We all knew an ice rink was badly needed,” she said, “as there was little ice time available. So we were very excited about getting things going.”
And get going they did. That informal gathering in 1971 would evolve into formal meetings of the Avalon Arena Association, the non-profit organization that built Twin Rinks, the first multi-surface rink in the province. Fifty years ago, however, it was just a dream. It started with parents selling debentures to friends and family members and canvassing businesses for donations. Riche, a lawyer at the time, incorporated the group as a charitable organization and boldly sought donations from government agencies, charitable associations, and large corporations.
“Money was the number one priority,” said Riche, who jump-started the fundraising with $500 from his own pocket. “I went into Woolworth’s and explained the situation, and a lady working there said, ‘Someone in the office will give you $25’. So I went to the office and asked for $2,500.”
In 1972, the estimated cost was half a million dollars per ice surface, and the initial plan was for two ice rinks – one in the east end of St. John’s and one in the west. When the price jumped to more than $2 million, Riche suggested putting two ice surfaces under one roof to save on operational costs. In addition to building the facility, the Association had to purchase the land for $8,000. A space was located in Mundy Pond, which the City Council had targeted for development. There was a sod-turning ceremony and an endorsement from Howie Meeker himself, but despite the buzz at the community level, challenges remained.
After a few more years of stick handling around various obstacles, team spirit among the volunteers and local supporters picked up. Generous donations came in from outside the province, and local businesses joined in. According to Riche, Chester Dawe built and donated a house that was raffled off on tickets and Basil Dobbin, whose construction company was hired to blast the rock for the site, donated $50,000.
“Local businessman and philanthropist Ian Reid provided a list of charitable organizations that we could contact. Kids even gave a few dollars. We were the ragged-arse artillery, and we followed up on every opportunity,” Riche said, adding that when a bank required the backing of a government agency, the City of St. John’s stepped in.
“It was wonderful,” said Marshall, who served as assistant secretary when the Association was formed. “Despite all our differences, we worked well together. We were all there for one purpose. It was unbelievable, really, to think we did all that.”
Fifty years later, the legacy of Twin Rinks – currently operating as the Capital Mitsubishi Centre – continues to stand as a model for community spirit. By the time it opened its door in June 1975, the building was doing more than offer ice time for young athletes. It had also given a boost to a neighbourhood that badly needed one.
“Mundy Pond was an area that needed an advantage too,” said Bob Kirkland, who’s been a regular at the facility for nearly 50 years. “The kids there needed a place to go, and I’d like to think that just having the rink opened the door for them to play or at least give them a chance to watch a game.”
At 80, Kirkland still laces up three times a week and hits the ice with a group of hockey players aged 60 and older. Since surviving a major heart attack 30 years ago, it’s where he goes to maintain physical health and socialize with friends and family.
“It’s played such a big part in my life,” he said. “I’m grateful it was there when each of my three boys started playing, and I’m grateful to be able to go there now.”
For Kirkland, time at the rink also includes time spent with a whole new generation of family.
The Association continues to play a vital role in community sports. In 2023, it opened another ice surface on Hebron Way, creating even more opportunities for young athletes.
“The work that we do and can do today – like re-invest in the original facility and add ice time via another facility – is a direct result of the vision and efforts of dedicated people over the past decade,” said Board Chair Rick Spurrell. “They are creators of a multi-generational legacy, and we are proud stewards working to honour that legacy and to build upon it.”
As the torch passes on to a new generation of athletes, the legacy of community spirit continues to burn bright.
