It鈥檚 been more than 50 years since Ian Oulton (BA鈥�66) laced up his skates as a Tiger, but his support as a volunteer and donor for AV俱乐部 athletics and recreation programs has been unwavering ever since.
Now, thanks to a generous financial gift from Oulton and his wife, Dr. Margaret Oulton (PhD鈥�75), construction on the much-anticipated AV俱乐部 Event Centre can begin.
The AV俱乐部 Event Centre will feature an NHL-sized rink with an alternate floor surface allowing for Dal and community events. The AV俱乐部 Physiotherapy Clinic will move into its new, state-of-the-art home on the Event Centre鈥檚 second floor. Varsity, club, and intramural teams, which were relocated to the Halifax Forum when the old arena was torn down in 2012, will return to campus, offering easier access for many students. Beloved community activities like public skating and Dal Tiger hockey camps will also make a comeback.
鈥淚 believe very strongly that Dal should have a rink on campus, and this will be a great facility for the entire community,鈥� says Oulton, who saw an opportunity to make a gift that would move the project from the planning stages to getting shovels in the ground when the current AV俱乐部 administration and the Department of Athletics & Recreation made the Event Centre a top priority. 鈥淚'm excited that this is getting underway 鈥� it鈥檚 been a long time.鈥�
Teams that play together, stay together
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Oulton has remained close friends with his varsity hockey and football teammate Dr. William (Bill) Stanish (MD鈥�70), who is the lead fundraising volunteer for the Event Centre campaign. The two have been meeting almost daily to walk and chat, often about the Event Centre.听 As an early lead donor to the campaign, Oulton says it feels like they are still teammates, just working towards a different goal.
鈥淢ost of my friends are still from my university days 鈥� athletics was a great way to get to know people and to develop those close friendships,鈥� says Oulton. 鈥淲ith athletics you learn how to win and lose and get along. The ability to communicate and work with people is by far the most important aspect of my business. I attribute that to athletics.
鈥淢y university days were very formative years. I鈥檝e always felt gratitude toward Dal for giving me an education in the broadest sense.鈥�
Ian Oulton (BA鈥�66) (5th from left, top row) and Dr. William Stanish (MD 鈥�70) (2nd from right, bottom row) first teamed up as Dal Tigers in the 60s.
A place to call home
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Katie Cameron, a second-year psychology major from Riverview, N.B., plays defence on the Dal varsity women鈥檚 hockey team. With construction set to begin this summer once site preparation work is complete, Cameron and her teammates are looking forward to the opportunities the Dal Event Centre will bring, like hosting national championships and encouraging participation. 鈥淚鈥檓 super excited this is happening鈥攖his new facility is going accelerate our program a lot,鈥� she says.
鈥淏eing able to walk from class or Dalplex to the rink within five minutes is going to make a huge difference,鈥� says Cameron. 鈥淭he new facility will also be really accessible for students on campus, so we鈥檒l see more fans able to go to games and other activities.鈥�
Cameron adds that where a team practises is where they spend most of their time, so being on campus will make them feel more connected to Dal. 鈥淗aving the Event Centre on campus is just going to make it feel so much more like a home and really feel like it's 鈥榦urs.鈥欌��
Oulton fondly remembers the countless hours he spent in the old arena as a player and later as a Tigers supporter in the stands.
鈥淲e had all sorts of characters at the rink in those days 鈥� it was a great environment,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淲hen you turned off University Avenue onto LeMarchant and South and you saw the Dal rink 鈥� with the football field and then Shirreff Hall鈥攆or me, that was where Dal began.鈥� 听
Now with the Oultons鈥� support, varsity athletes, Dal students, faculty and staff, and the Halifax community will be able to make the AV俱乐部 Event Centre their home for years to come.听
You can give to the AV俱乐部 Event Centre or contact Victoria Hamilton, Director of Development, 902.497.6825 or victoria.hamilton@dal.ca.