Kin Arena’s soft play floor will have a soft opening this weekend as the new recreation season begins.
Dawson Creek’s parks and recreation department announced the unofficial opening weekend, which will take place on Sept. 13 and 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. It will be free to attend, and players will have a different selection of games to play each day.
Soft floors can be made of rubber or foam. They are generally shock-absorbent to keep athletes safe when they jump or in case of falls. The need for an indoor soft floor was brought to the attention of the 2022 iteration of the city council, who began taking the steps towards this opening.
Pickleball and badminton will be available both days, but players will only get a chance to try out the soft floors for volleyball on Saturday. The next day the sport will be swapped for indoor soccer.
This new amenity “expands drop-in and registered programs for team sports, provides more indoor activity options during smoky summers and cold winters, (and) creates new opportunities for youth and community tournaments,” according to the city.
Feedback collected will be used by the city to determine what the use of the soft floor should be going forward. The city said this investment in their recreation facilities will better utilize the arena, which previously housed the city’s ice rink.
Now, the city of Dawson Creek said they intend on using the arena as a fieldhouse. The nearby Ovintiv Events Centre will host the ice this season.
