So I don't want to influence anyone's vote.....
Ah crap, who am I kidding!!!
I just wanted to chime in and give a little info on the Calumet Colosseum.
First, it is the OLDEST OPERATING INDOOR ICE RINK IN THE WORLD! Yep, right here in good old Calumet, MI!
There is no way I can possibly give all the details to such a historic rink, but will give a couple of neat stories. The rink has been the gathering place for folks in the Keweenaw for generations. Be it a squirt, high school or Juniors game, the rink is the place to go to watch local hockey up here.
Back in the 1960's, when the rink wanted to install an artificial ice surface, there was a miners strike going on and over 1500 miners were unemployed. Many of them volunteered their time and talents to install the compressor system, tubing, electrical and everything else needed to be done to complete the job so that they could have an ice surface year-round. To me that speaks of the true spirit of the Keweenaw and a big part of what makes this neck of the woods and ice rink so special.
It is special to me as it is the first place I saw my Gracie skate and on Friday April 5th and Saturday April 6th, I will have the pleasure of joining her on the ice for a Daddy-Daughter segment in their spring ice show. The rehearsals have been agonizing, but I am up to the challenge!
Anyway, the rink is in need of a new compressor. The one they currently have uses a refrigerant that will not be available after January 1, 2020. The cost to replace the compressor is estimated at $150,000-$200,000. If this were in a highly populated and well financed community, it would probably not be a major issue, but for Calumet Township, it will be huge. So this really would help a ton.
I heard a funny story on the radio this morning about a huge hockey game that was not only sold out, but oversold! It was a JR league game between the Calumet Wolverines and another team. There were so many people inside and still waiting to get in, that the State Police showed up to not allow any one else in because of overcrowding rules. As soon as the police left, everyone that was standing outside went in anyway! One of the announcers for the game (a man who has just recently passed on and I had the pleasure to meet a few years back at an Easter Dinner) noticed that there were people sitting in the penalty box. When I brought it up to the other announcer, that announcer said "Yea, that G...Damn Lehto sold tickets to folks to sit in the penalty box! It does not get any more classic than that for old school hockey!
Thanks for reading!
-John
