Dave Nelson, President of the Becker Big Lake Ice Association has announced that the BBLIA is exploring the possibility of a capital campaign to fund the construction of a new ice arena in Big Lake. As part of the process, a series of town hall meetings will be held to solicit community engagement and feedback.
Town Halls
In a press release forwarded to the Patriot, BBLIA invites the community to “discuss the future of a long-awaited ice arena for the Becker-Big Lake area.” Meetings will be held at Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake on Sunday, March 23 from 2-3:30 pm, Wednesday, March 26, from 11:30 to 1:00 pm, and Sunday, April 6 from 2-3:30 pm.
Previous efforts to build the arena have fallen short, but according to Nelson, “After years of planning, key milestones have been reached.” Those milestones include setting up charitable gambling at The Getaway, Lupulin, Dueling Brews, and Trails to raise much needed funding, developing and creating architectural plans for the new arena, land has been purchased near The Buff in Big Lake for the arena, and a framework is in place with Sherburne Bank to build the arena.
Nelson stated, “We have worked extremely hard as an association in the last three years. We need the community’s help to make this happen.”
Corey Nundahl, BBLIA board member said, “This arena is more than just an ice rink—it’s a hub for our entire community. We have the right pieces in place. We just need the community to rally behind this effort. If you want this to happen, now is the time to speak up.”
Why An Arena is Needed
The need for an ice arena in Big Lake is obvious to members of the BBLIA. As was stated in their press release, “For over a decade, local athletes and families have dreamed of a home ice arena. Currently, Becker-Big Lake remains one of the largest hockey associations in Minnesota without its own rink. Hundreds of young athletes travel long distances each week just to practice and compete. The proposed arena will provide a dedicated space not only for hockey but also for figure skating, public skating, youth sports, community events, and wellness activities.”
Nelson would like to remind residents of the economic impact of the arena, benefits he has seen in Princeton where teams currently go for hockey activities. “The bars and restaurants would get a boost. When tournaments are hosted, those places fill up to accommodate the numerous teams that are in town. There’s a hotel down the road from our land that would benefit from this. Currently, a lot of hockey families go shopping in Princeton while their kids are at practice. It would be nice to keep that money within our community.”
For more information go to bblia.org or to their Facebook page, Becker-Big Lake Ice Association.
