YORKTON - At the June 5, regular meeting of Yorkton Council the city approved $80,000 toward upgrades at the Gallagher Centre for spaces used by the Junior Terriers.
It was “at the May 15, regular meeting of City Council, the Yorkton Terriers presented a request for financial assistance for improvements to team space within the Gallagher Centre,” explained Taylor Morrison, Gallagher Centre General Manager with the city during the recent Council meeting.
At that time Council requested Administration bring a report back to Council with funding options for consideration.
With the city on side with financing work is already under way.
“We gutted everything. We’re done the demo(lition),” said Jeff Sperling Friday.
The work encompasses three main areas, the coaches office, the team training room, and the dressing room.
While noting it’s not all new construction, it will be a major renovation which will include things such as new lighting, new paint, and a bunch of amenities Sperling said were long overdue.
“If you were a parent and saw the (old) cold tub, you wouldn’t let your son sit in it,” he said, adding it was in such a bad state it wasn’t worth hauling to the auction centre where some things being replaced are going to be sold.
In the training room a new chiropractic chair has been bought, something Sperling said came up as a need after the Terrier trainer, doctor and physiotherapist got together to create a list of needs.
The training room is also getting a new skate sharpening unit, one with an attachment to catch the filings unlike the existing one that had them spewed around the room.
There are also amenities being incorporated to make it a nice place for players and staff, and to create a ‘Terrier’ feel to the three rooms, said Sperling.
For example a metal Terrier sign will go on a dressing room wall that it is lit, and a rug on the floor with the word ‘Terrier’ emblazoned on it.
In the training room will be a bank of narrow ‘suit lockers’ with one for each player. Above the suit area will be a lockable compartment for valuables and a place for cellphones so they are not in the dressing room, said Sperling.
The doors and area are being repainted too, gone will be the generic colours to be replaced with Terrier orange, black and gray, said Sperling.
All the changes are to make it a better experience for players and staff, which should be an asset when it comes to recruiting, he added.
While the city dollars were needed, Sperling has been out canvasing for dollars too.
“The community has been awesome so far,” he said, adding he has raised $65,000 in cash, labour and materials.
But, there is more on the wish list, including a complete redo of the dressing room showers, and the installation of a heavy duty washer and dryer in the training room, if donations keep coming.
Anyone interested in helping with dollars or other support can call Sperling at 306-621-7383.
The project will be ongoing with a completion date set for Aug. 15, leading up to a barbecue, ribbon cutting and season ticket blitz.
