A committee has been formed to fundraise for improvements at the Dominion City recreation arena, but it's not going to be easy, said Jason Mateychuk, the town's recreation president.

The rising cost of equipment is making it difficult to keep facilities like this running, according to Mateychuk.

"Prices have just gone through the roof," he said. "It's just really hard to keep (recreation) facilities up to date with changes in building codes and expectations around workplace safety and health, which are all important things."

On the checklist is a new chiller for the ice plant, a motor for the ice resurfacer, insulating the walls of the arena to maintain a stable ice temperature, improving air quality, installing accessible entrance doors and a water bottle filling station.

The committee wants to raise $200,000 to cover the cost of the project, half of that number is the price tag of the chiller alone.

"It's going to take a lot of bake sales to raise $100,000," he said. This is why the committee is applying for grants and sponsorships, planning fundraisers and reaching out to the public for donations.

Without a new chiller, he said the arena will have to rely on natural ice which is only possible when it becomes cold enough outside.

Since the arena has a positive impact on the community, it pays to maintain it, according to Mateychuk.

"I think it's critical because statistics show when kids don't have anything to do that rates of crime, obesity, tons of negative factors (affect) the community," he said. "I think it's an integral part of a community, and if we lose that I think there's going to be a lot of other effects outside of just kids and their ability to play that will happen."