FREMONT, Neb (KMTV) — In Fremont its hard to find a place that’s “cooler” than the Sidner Ice arena, a home away from home for the dozens of hockey families who come together to share time on its ice.
“This is the melting pot. They come up here, they meet each other, they become a team together,” said Kim Kreikemeier, a hockey mom with two kids in the Fremont Flyers program.
The passion for hockey in Fremont started off small.
It began with the construction of the arena back in 2004 and has since snowballed into one of the most popular activities in town.
“Since then the program went from just a few kids out there playing hockey and a few scrimmages to 200 plus families in the Fremont Flyers program,” said Kent Johnson, a hockey parent and coach for the Fremont Flyers.
Nearly two decades later though Sidner is looking a little worse for wear.
“The first main thing we need to fix is after 20 years the floor surface of the ice has gotten corroded and needs to be completely. Then the compressor and what goes with that too all the components are old,” said Johnson.
The needed renovations at Sidner are going to cost around 2 million dollars and the Fremont Flyers have recently kicked off a capital campaign to support the project.
“It’s fantastic, we have some commitments that are probably aren’t out there yet but we are already over $100,000. The first push into the hockey community and skating community has been huge,” said Johnson.
Supporters of the arena are hoping to have the funds raised by the end of February and if you’d like to support the arena you can find out how to donate at fundtherink.org
The renovations won’t just give Sidner much needed repairs, but also help preserve a part of Fremont that has brought many Kreikemeier
kids, coaches and families together.
“First thing my 6 year old says when I walk into the house tonight, mom do I have hockey tonight? Largely that’s because of the community that’s been built here, it’s a bunch of supportive friends and family,” said Kreikemeier.
