“It may be the happiest place in Regina”.
That is how Tim Reid, the president and CEO of Regina Exhibition Association Limited, refers to Iceville.
That is what Mosaic Stadium is being called these days as the entire surface has been turned into a giant skating rink that Reginans can enjoy until the end of February.
Reid says demand for skating on the field where Cody Fajardo, Shaq Evans and Charleston Hughes normally do their thing has been one that has exceeded expectations with spots for the week of January 18 being swallowed up within 10 minutes of them being made available on Monday. The next bookings will happen next Monday and will be for the week of January 25.
Reid says the idea of having once-a-week bookings comes because they want to be flexible enough to either increase or decrease capacity if the Saskatchewan Health Authority, which called for no more than 30 at the ice at one time, decides to allow more or tightens it up some more calling for less.
There are also discussions being had about doing this moving forward. Reid says this is a creative solution at both Mosaic Stadium and other football facilities across Canada that may investigate doing something similar.
“What do you do with a football stadium when you can’t play football. ” Reid asks. ” It is something that I’ve been challenged with since I arrived and others are in the same boat. This really proves Mosaic Stadium is a very versatile recreational facility and is so much more than a football stadium. Like any great community, they have a place to gather in the winter and we think Mosaic Stadium has become that. I don’t think this goes away in the future. I think Mosaic Stadium as Iceville could last into the foreseeable future and that in a post-COVID 19 environment, it could become a destination spot with many more skating than what we are currently allowed.”
