Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport prepares to poke the puck away from Greame Townsend, National Hockey Coach (2nd left) as it is being released by Donovan Tait, hockey player and coach (left). Looking on in anticipation are: Dorothy McLeod, Director, California Cultural Alliance (3rd left); founding members of the Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation Judith Smith (4th left) and Lester Griffin (right). The Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation and representatives
from Tropical Ice Ventures of Canada paid a Courtesy Call on the Minister today (December 1) at her offices in Kingston
By Jamaica Observer
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange says she is excited about the prospects of an ice hockey arena being established in Jamaica.
Grange met today with a group from the Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation and from the firm, Tropical Ice Ventures of Canada, which is a leader in refrigeration technology.
CEO of Tropical Ice Ventures, Jason Swales, disclosed that he had identified an investor in Canada who is interested in building an ice arena along with a hotel on the island.
“Teams are lining up to play ice hockey in Jamaica and there are hundreds of spectators from overseas who would visit Jamaica to attend ice hockey matches,” Swales is reported as saying in a release from the ministry.
Grange said that beach-front property in Trelawny is being eyed for the establishment of the ice rink, adding that her ministry intended to engage the Urban Development Corporation which owns the land.
