It was an exciting year for the area around the Hidden Hut and the Outdoor Rink in 2024! The easiest to notice is the outstanding new mural painted by artist Erin Conn at the Hidden Hut. You may recall our poll on social media back in the middle of May, offering several choices for our new look. Well, you voted, and your decision became the basis for our new look. She started work on the project in early July, and within a couple of weeks, transformed a drab, off-yellow Hidden Hut into a beautiful, vibrant piece of art. If you haven’t yet seen it, please take a walk by and appreciate her hard work, and our new look! Erin had this to say:
“Thank you, Hidden Valley community, for embracing my bright mural filled with colourful nature and pollination. It was a pleasure chatting with so many wonderful members of the community and seeing the curiosity of the adorable children who stopped by. Your support and enthusiasm made this experience truly special. Thank you for allowing me to share my art with you all!”
Around the same time that Erin Conn was sprucing up the look of the Hidden Hut, the boards of our Outdoor Rink were coming down for a full replacement of the rink boards. With help from the City of Calgary, Parks Foundation Calgary, and the Calgary Flames Rink Award, we removed all the old broken rink boards and replaced them with new UV resistant boards that we hope will last for many years of outdoor hockey, or ODR as they say on the prairies! Many thanks to Aaron Taylor, from the City of Calgary, for his guidance along the way.
It’s been a busy year, and we look forward to reaping the benefits of all that hard work in 2025!
Just a reminder that it still takes a lot of work to flood and clean the Outdoor Rink, from the time the temperatures drop below freezing until the spring thaw. We can always use more volunteers. If you can lend a few hours to help, we’d love to help. No experience necessary. Just fire me an email at [email protected], or Mitch Gallant, our sports director, at [email protected]!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all the best in the coming year!
Bruce Ritchie
Facilities Director, HVCA
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