Bozeman Another Step Closer to Year-Round Ice

If you love hockey or ice skating, you'll love this news. Bozeman is another step closer to "Raising The Barn" with a sheet of year-round ice at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds.

According to a press release from BAHA:

The Bozeman Amateur Hockey Association, in partnership with the Gallatin Ice Foundation, has been awarded a $222,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to continue progress on Bozeman’s second refrigerated ice arena at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds.

The "Raise the Ice Barn’ project, which has been in a planned construction pause since late last year, has already constructed a paved parking lot, new entryway into Haynes Pavilion and the Ice Barn’s 36,500-square-foot steel frame.

“We are thrilled that the M.J. Murdock Trust has agreed to partner with us on this project,” said Chelsea Schmidt, development director for the Gallatin Ice Foundation. “Their support means we can take our finger of the pause button and get to work on the next phase of construction.”

Funds from the grant will be used towards the expansion of the mechanical room and installation of the ice plant. The full scope of the project’s second phase also includes installation of the refrigerated rink slab and floor, lighting and interim locker rooms and seating.

Schmidt said they are still roughly $1 million short from completing phase two.

Schmidt said that drawings are being finalized and construction on step two is slated to begin once the building permit is received.

For more information or to make a contribution to the project, contact Schmidt at 406-579-5763.