THE RINK OF DREAMS

The Sens Foundation and Ottawa Senators Hockey Club will look to build NHL sized outdoor natural ice surfaces in Ottawa, Gatineau and surrounding communities throughout the National Capital Region. These rink projects will feature a concrete or asphalt base, boards and fencing along with hockey and basketball nets to allow children to play year-round. Your support of the Maharaja’s Ball will assist the Ottawa Senators and Sens Foundation to build these rinks, while the city of Ottawa and local community groups will oversee each project site before and after completion in addition to programming the rink in their neighbourhood. The cost of each rink project is estimated at $200,000.

  With the declining registration in minor hockey, the increased obesity rates among children and the changing demographics of the Canadian population, providing easy access to recreational opportunities throughout the year, in particular during the winter months to skating and hockey, will be instrumental in helping to re-introduce sport and recreation in priority neighbourhoods across the national capital region and ultimately get youth active twelve months of the year. Currently only 9.5 per cent of boys and girls play hockey in Canada.

  The City of Ottawa maintains 301 outdoor rinks of varying shapes and sizes through a community volunteer program. This program is funded by a grant from the city awarded to volunteers and community groups committed to the maintenance and supervision of each rink. Currently, many of the city’s rinks are seasonal, temporary structures that are in need of repair.

  Funds from the 2011 Maharaja's Ball will help the Sens Foundation start this work next season —the club’s 20th anniversary.