There will be lots to do for the whole family – on and off the ice at the official opening of the Servus Arena Jan. 13th and Red Deerians of all ages are invited join the fun.
Doors open at 11:30 a.m., with an official ceremony beginning at noon, and the fun continues until 3 p.m. Following the ceremony, there will be free burgers, beverages, chips, and popcorn served. Event goers can join guided tours, partake in free public skating, and enjoy the roving entertainment.
After the opening event, the community is invited to return to the Servus Arena at 8 p.m. to cheer on the Red Deer Vipers as they play their first game in the facility. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
“We’re really excited to unveil the new Servus Arena to the community during the opening event this Saturday,” said Sarah Cockerill, Director of Community Services. “What residents will see is a tribute to the past, but also a fully modernized facility with new features like room temperature seating, a walking track, concession, open space for spectators and teams alike, as well as interior connections to the Pidherney Centre next door.”
Completed ahead of schedule, the Servus Arena (located at 4725 43 Street) has been under construction since fall 2016 on the site of the former Red Deer Arena. The Red Deer Arena was originally built in 1952 and served as a community hub for Central Albertans for over 60 years. For structural reasons the building was demolished in 2016, and the new Servus arena was built. The NHL-sized arena is home to Red Deer Minor Hockey Red Deer Vipers, and many other user groups in Red Deer and the surrounding area.
In April 2017, Servus Credit Union signed on as the name sponsor for the arena, making the name Servus Arena.
More information is available at reddeer.ca/servusarena.
– Connolly
