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$120K for Mariner’s Centre energy efficiency upgrades

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A big investment from the province to retrofit the Mariner’s Centre.

The multi-purpose arena in Yarmouth has received $120,000 to replace heating and cooling equipment with new units, which should save money for the municipal government.

Minister Tim Halman says upgrades like these that reduce greenhouse gases, are worth cheering for.

“This funding will help this vital community space become energy efficient, which will save them money on their energy bill,” says Minister Halman. “That is a savings they can reinvest back into their services.”

The Mariner’s Centre is currently undergoing renovations. Just a couple of weeks ago, concrete was poured for the Graves Arena.

Other upgrades that include new pools, a fitness centre, a walking track, multi-purpose spaces and more.

The province has invested $7 million in the work with the opening date expected for early next year.

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Concrete poured at Graves Arena

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Renovations to the Mariners Centre are one step closer to being finished.

The centre announced in a Facebook post that concrete has been successfully poured at Graves Arena. They said the next step in the process is waiting for the concrete to cure so it can provide a strong foundation for the rink.

The renovations include adding new pools, a fitness centre, a walking track, multi purpose spaces and more.

Another part of the renovations is a $1.6 million plan to refurbish and re-ice Graves Arena. 

Those renovations began in March, and are scheduled to keep the ice closed until they’re completed later in the summer.

Last month, the provincial government provided $60,000 of funding to help resurface the ice at Graves Arena. That money was part of a $3.1 million effort to improve 85 recreation spaces and community projects across the province. 

In an interview with Acadia News this spring, officials from the project said it remains on schedule, and construction should be completed later this fall.

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Mariners open 2026/27 season against rival Wildcats

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The Yarmouth Mariners will kick off their season against a familiar opponent, the Valley Wildcats.

The team will open their 25th season at home, hosting the rival Wildcats at the Mariners Centre on Friday, Sept. 11. The last time the two teams faced off at the Mariners Centre, the Valley Wildcats came away with a 5 – 2 win on the back of a hat trick from alternate captain Drew Lutz.

Game action between the Yarmouth Mariners and West Kent Steamers at Mariners Centre in Yarmouth on Friday, February 7, 2025 (Ken Chetwynd Photo)

A showdown on home ice against the West Kent Steamers on Sunday, Sept. 13 will wrap up the team’s opening weekend. 

These are the first of 26 home games at the Mariners Centre.

The team also named Head Scout Kegin Watt as the new Team Governor and Director of Hockey Operations. Watt will maintain his role as Head Scout for the team, and represent the Mariners on the Maritime Hockey League Board of Governors. 

Watt has been with the Mariners for four seasons, but brings years of experience scouting in the QMJHL and with Hockey Nova Scotia.

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Mariner’s Centre receives $70,000 for ice replacement

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The Mariner’s Centre is getting a $70,000 boost from the province.

Improvements to the Mariner’s Centre were first announced in 2024, and the Centre said in a press release that the expansion will include a six-lane 25-meter pool, a leisure pool, a fitness center, multi-purpose spaces, and an indoor walking track, and that the goal is to have the improvements finished by fall 2026.

Yarmouth MLA Nick Hilton shared in a Facebook post that this most recent money is a part of a $3.1 million effort by the province to improve 85 recreation and community projects across Nova Scotia.

Hilton said the funding is to support the replacement of the ice at Graves arena 1, and Hilton said he’s excited to see progress being made and that he is looking forward to seeing skaters, hockey teams and families back on the ice soon.

In a previous interview with Acadia News, expansion committee chair Nicole Albright said that crews have done a great job, and the project is still on track for the fall 2026 opening.