The SPFAS is truly a facility built by the community, for the community. In May of 1968 the first Sportsman’s Dinner was held to implement a fundraising campaign for a new ice arena. The Red Dutton Arena was officially opened two years later, in September 1970. The facility was further enhanced in 1972 by the addition of dressing rooms, bleachers, washrooms and a multi-purpose room. In 1975 the Springbank Community High School was built as an adjacent facility and, subsequently, a joint use facility agreement was established between SPFAS and Rocky View School Division #41. Enrolment at that time was 125 students. An additional construction phase occurred in 1979 when the curling rink was constructed by the Springbank Curling Club. In 1986 an agreement was reached between the Curling Club and the SPFAS Board to unite the curling facility with the rest of the facility, from an operational perspective. In 1995 Rocky View School Division #41 completed an expansion and modernization at Springbank Community High School. The expansion was implemented to meet the increased enrolment created by the residential development in the surrounding area. The expansion of the Springbank Community High School has impacted land utilization on the site.
Current Status
The community of Springbank is experiencing an explosive growth. When the facility first opened in 1970, there were approximately 100 families in the Springbank area. Currently, it is estimated that over 5,000 families now reside in the catchment area, with new real estate development making more lots available all the time. The growth that the community is experiencing puts increased pressure jointly on SPFAS and Rocky View School Division #41 as we address the challenge of joint use site services. More people in the community translates into more people in our facilities. The challenge facing SPFAS and Rocky View School Division #41 is to meet the explosive growth by appropriate site management.