Following months of deliberations, Clearwater County council has approved a motion to fund a much-needed ice plant replacement at the Caroline Arena.
The motion will see the county fund 50 per cent of the replacement cost of the ice plant up to $1 million to be funded from the Caroline restricted surplus.
An included condition is that Clearwater County administration manages the tendering and installation of the ice plant.
The estimated cost of the project is $1.6 million, bringing the county’s potential contribution to $810,000.
The Alberta government also recently kicked in around $285,000 in funding for the project; part of $7 million dollars for 14 different initiatives across the province.
The remaining portion of the ice plant project would be covered through fundraising, grants, and reserves.
Once completed, the Caroline Ag Society says the ice plant’s life expectancy is 30 years.
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The original request came back in April 2025 when members of the Caroline Ag Society brought the condition of the 40-year-old ice plant to council’s attention.
Along with other issues, two of the system’s pumps had recently failed, forcing around $130,000 in piecemeal replacement work.
The 2025/26 season, so far, has gone smoothly, said Renée Foefier with the Caroline Ag Society, as the decades-old refrigeration system is keeping a fully-frozen sheet of ice intact.
However, the society has warned the system is on “borrowed time”.
Caroline Arena hosts over 200 days of programming annually, serving around 3,500 people in the southeast end of the county.
Officials say, it also supports eight minor hockey teams, as well as figure skating, curling leagues, and school programming.
It also hosts community events such as New Year’s Eve celebrations and public skating.
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