So far, private donors—including Merlis Belsher and Ron and Jane Graham, among others—have contributed more than $23 million to the Home Ice fundraising campaign, which will include a 2,650-seat arena and provide much needed ice time to both the U of S Huskies as well as Saskatoon Minor Hockey.
That community involvement aspect is important, Mayor Charlie Clark told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.
"We need to have a really clear discussion at the debate about how, if we add more funding to this project, that there is a wide community benefit," he said. "It would deal with a major pressure point for minor hockey in terms of ice time and families having to travel less to get to games."