Just weeks before the new facility officially opens its doors to the public for the very first time, the Co-op Centre – the arena and recreation facility that’s been under construction on the city’s east side – was the recipient of another significant donation. Former Meadow Lake residents Larry and Brenda Moeller have donated $1 million to the project, a contribution that will greatly assist the local fundraising committee in reaching its goal and also securing naming rights for the arena portion of the project. When the Co-op Centre opens June 24, the arena portion will be known as the Moeller Hometown Arena.
“When the project was announced, we knew it would be a very good addition to the city,” Larry Moeller told Northern Pride. “I know how much these central sports facilities mean to smaller centres, and, with the loss of the former arena (to fire in June 2021) I took great interest in this project. When asked if I wanted to support it, I thought about it for a while and finally got to the point where I knew it was a very good project and had received a lot of community support including a very large donation from the Meadow Lake Coop, which was very inspiring for me.”
That’s when Moeller and his wife decided to support the project by committing to $1 million. “My mother and father still live in Meadow Lake, I grew up there and spent my formative years there,” Moeller continued. “My wife’s family is from Meadow Lake as well. We have strong connections to the community, and get back there several times a year. I played hockey in Meadow Lake when I was young and participated in high school sports.” Moeller went on to note how much sports and sporting activities can influence a person. “I’m a big supporter of sports and believe sports teach a lot of discipline,” he said. “People who are part of a team tend to also do well in their careers.” He also said, even though he and his wife now reside in Calgary, Meadow Lake is still home to them. “I started PineRidge Ford there in 1993 along with some partners of course,” he said. “I’m no longer involved, but, when we started PineRidge Ford we were supported by the community which was very encouraging, and this is our way of giving back.”
Going forward, Moeller believes the Coop Centre, including Moeller Hometown Arena, will be cherished by the people of Meadow Lake for generations to come. “This facility is going to add to the fabric of the community,” he said. “Watching the community for the past 50-plus years, we also see how it’s progressed. There will be many events held at this facility, and we’re proud the community has been able to get behind this project. We also hope our donation will help inspire others to do what they can for the community in any fashion.”
In terms of the future legacy his family’s name will have by being associated with the new arena, Moeller said it’s quite gratifying. “We feel very honoured and privileged to participate in this and to have our name on the facility,” he said. “This is something we’re able to do for future generations that will last for a very long time. My wife and I are from Meadow Lake, we were married in Meadow Lake, our son was born in Meadow Lake, so it’s appropriate we give back to the community that was really a big part of our formative years.”
Additional funding for the new facility came from other private donations, fundraising, as well as contributions from all three levels of government. The federal government committed up to $14,932,023 and the provincial government contributed up to $12,442,108. The total investment under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), including the city’s portion under the grant, is $37.3 million. The total cost of the project, when first announced, was expected to be approximately $52 million. The Meadow Lake Co-op committed $3 million to the project to secure naming rights for the facility as a whole, while contributions from Innovation Credit Union and Kirt and Terri Prete will see the field house portion of the project and the community centre portion respectively named InnovationPlex and Legacy Hall.