So the Olds Ag Society has a five-year plan to move out of Olds.
Awesome!
This is a perfect opportunity for the community and town to work on a five-year plan to update/build a proper sports complex on the ag society's land adjacent to the current site.
When the old arena burned down the town rallied and plans came up for a sports complex. It was going to have an ice surface, curling ice, racquetball courts, a gym, pool and other activities all in one building. Well, that did not quite happen now, did it?
So here is our chance to add to the arena and make it a true sports complex. Let's take a serious look at adding to the south of the arena. Build to the existing building some indoor courts for racquetball, an indoor soccer field, rock-climbing wall, a full gymnastics area, and an open gym for other groups to use. Another ice surface would be utilized I'm sure too. Put in a tennis court and basketball court outside with a splash park and we now have a proper and true sports complex.
These are all things that we do need in our community and in the county. Too many times Olds is the last, not the first, place to build or have things. Let us be the leader and have a proper facility for our current and expanding population.
This is the time for the current council to start looking into all the grants and other funding options out there as well. Time for people in the community to let the town council see we need this and would be utilizing it to the fullest. It not only is good for us but the county and surrounding communities in drawing more people and businesses to move here.
With the ag society's plans to move we can't sit around and be sad. We need to look at the great opportunity we have to expand and have a true sports complex.
Dean Harper
Olds
