The Norma Moore Memorial Gladstone District Arena is staring down another expensive season, and the volunteer board says naming rights are now up for sale to help keep the ice in. What’s straining the budget Treasurer Tanya Speiss says major maintenance on the aging ice plant is pushing costs higher. “We’re having to do a lot of maintenance to it, which is really costly,” she says, noting the board is also looking at insulating the ice surface building to reduce the load on the plant. Related stories: Fifteen years later Stride Place stands strong Gladstone Arena receives grant Construction on Koko Platz Rec Centre about to begin “When we are actually functioning and our plant is running, it costs anywhere between 13 to $15,000 a month to keep the place open,” Speiss adds. Volunteers and operations The board has six members with spouses pitching in, and the group also runs the kitchen during tournaments. “It’s honestly like a full-time job sometimes,” Speiss explains, “As a treasurer, I can say that it feels like a full-time job because I have to worry about finances all the time… every tournament, every weekend, we’re worried about what we have in there and whatnot.” Sponsorships remain crucial. Asked how much corporate support means, she doesn't hesitate: “Everything. Absolutely everything. If we did not have any sponsorships, we would never be able to open our doors.” Last year, a $10,000 Co-op gift allowed the board to buy a side-by-side and raffle it to build reserves. Even so, the start-of-season bills are daunting, with Speiss sharing, “We’ve opened our plant up and it’s ready to roll, but… I’m scared to actually get the bill for what was fixed.” Naming rights and Norma’s legacy The arena—built in the 1970s—was later renamed to honour community builder Norma Moore. A past board member says she remembers her as “the backbone of the arena,” organizing and fundraising for years. The board is now inviting offers for arena naming rights to secure a larger upfront contribution for operations and upgrades. Speiss stresses they’re not trying to erase Moore’s legacy. “We would love if the person choosing to change the name kept Norma up there and just kind of named over top of her, even,” she notes. If a sponsor prefers a fresh name, alternatives are ready: “We talked about naming the kitchen after her… and I would like to do a little bit of a memorial wall for her… it’d be nice to highlight those points and have it for everyone to see.” Community impact and how to help Speiss says Gladstone is the only arena in the area not open in October, meaning local kids miss early-season ice and neighbouring towns lose a key sheet. “It would be a huge loss if we lost our arena… It’d be a big hole for sure.” Beyond minor hockey, the rink hosts public skating—often for free—so families can lace up close to home. Speiss emphasizes that, “I would never want to see those kids go without the opportunity to play hockey… and there are so many kids that don’t play hockey that come to public skating." Businesses and community partners interested in naming rights or sponsorship can contact the Gladstone Arena Board to start a conversation. Volunteers and donations are also welcome as the season ramps up. The debate over a name may evolve, but the goal remains the same: keep a community rink thriving for the next generation. Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com. PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.