BEDFORD: A new name will emblazon the 4-pad arena in Bedford-Hammonds Plains.
At a press conference last week, it was announced that the HRM 4-Pad will now be known as the Greenfoot Energy Centre as the company takes on a 10-year lease for naming rights at a cost of $600,000.
Mayor Mike Savage along with officials from Greenfoot Energy Solutions, and their mascot a green Yeti, made the announcement before a small crowd at the arena on a beautiful Thursday morning April 18.
Savage said when they set out to find a partner for the naming rights, they wanted one that shared the values of HRM and understood what the 4-Pad means to the community.
“We wanted someone that sees this 4-Pad as more than just a venue, but a place that citizens can come together and memories are made,” said Savage.
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Roy Vandermaar, Greenfoot Energy’s General Manager for Nova Scotia, said working on getting the naming rights to the rink, has been something they’ve been working on for approximately a year. The Greenfoot Capitals of the Maritime Major Female Hockey League also calls it home.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Vandermaar. “We’ve been working on this for more than a year now.”
“When we heard about the opportunity we thought it was a really good fit.”
He said it was a good fit because of the connection the company has through its workforce to the arena.
“We have a lot of employees that have children that play here, a lot of customers whose children play here,” said Vandermaar.
“Heck, I think I spend half my waking hours in this arena with my daughter.”
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Councillors Tim Outhit and Pam Lovelace and Caps head coach Kevin Bennett were on hand at the announcement.
Vandermaar said its been awhile since the naming rights had expired—it had been known as the BMO Centre, something some still call.
“We’re happy to be able to provide the funding for the naming rights,” he said.
He doesn’t foresee any changes outside of the colours and branding on the facility.
“It’s a well-oiled machine,” he said, praising General Manager Bill Cruickshank and his team.
Players from the Fall River/Windsor Junction area do participate in sports, whether its hockey, sledge hockey, ringette, lacrosse, or a number of other sports at the Green Foot Energy Centre.
The Atlantic U-15 Hockey Championship bronze-medal winning Bedford Bandits of the N.S. U-15 league call the rink home as well.
