Thanks to a donation from the Richardson Foundation, the town of Pense has surpassed the $300,000 they were trying to raise to make a crucial upgrade to the rink.

It is one of the main reasons why they tried to become this year`s Kraft Hockeyville winner, but while they didn`t get the distinction, they did get the recognition and now they have reached the goal set to make crucial upgrades to the rink.

Once the current season is over and the ice is taken out, the process of installing a new brine piping system will begin. It is one that Pense Rink Board Member Graeme Crosbie says will keep things going in the town, west of Regina, for a while.

“For the next 30 to 40 years, we know our kids and maybe even their kids know they have a place to play their minor hockey in and maybe their senior hockey in. “Crosbie said.  “It’s not just hockey either as there are a lot of other groups that use the rink.”

From the time the goal was set, Crosbie and others knew they had a major mountain to climb.  He says knowing the upgrades they wanted can actually happen have him very proud of many.

“I’m so proud of everyone on the board and everyone in the town.” Crosbie said.” Its not just the fundraising.  There’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes that people don’t know about.  While we didn’t get the Hockeyville designation which we were disappointed at, the way people here and people across the province rallied was something.

Now that the board has the money it needs, it doesn’t mean the work is over.  Crosbie says there will have to be little fix-ups that pop up from time to time so the work will still be there to get the funds required for projects that he admits won’t be as big as the one they have just accomplished.