The Murphy Family Foundation, led by Smoke Eaters owner Rich Murphy, donated an unprecedented $1-million USD to the City of Trail to provide upgrades to the Cominco Arena.
After a thorough staff review, City Council unanimously accepted the generous donation at its Sept. 23 Governance and Operations Committee meeting.
"It's such a win-win for our community," said Trail Mayor Colleen Jones, who also credited the Smoke Eater players for the work they do volunteering in the community.
The city also passed a motion that would grant the Smoke Eaters use of the arena through the regular season and playoffs for the next five years, at a cost of a $1 licensing fee from 2024-28, and the option of a five-year renewal.
"It took some time to negotiate this lease, but I think that in recognition of the $1-million USD donation from the Murphy Family Foundation, it reflects a fair and equitable agreement between the two parties," said Tracy Butler, City of Trail GM of Corporate Services.
The Murphy family purchased the Smoke Eaters in 2016 and has contributed mightily to the Smoke Eaters, the city, and the community in general.
The family has renovated the Smoke Eaters dressing room, made upgrades to the upper and lower arena spaces, donated an epic arena TV screen, installed a new sound system, and supported youth, the skate park, schools and many other Trail groups.
More recently, in 2023-24, the Foundation invested over $1-million CDN in upgrades to the Kids Rink and free programming.
“The Cominco Arena is the heart and soul of Trail,” said Rich Murphy, president/owner of the Trail Smoke Eaters and founder/board member of the Murphy Family Foundation in a press release. "The Foundation looks forward to working with the City of Trail to support these capital improvements that will modernize the facility while maintaining its history and legacy.”
The planned upgrades include installation of shock-absorbing acrylic boards to make it safer for players and users, and will enhance the dynamics of the playing surface.
There will also be an extra set of acrylic glass for storage and use, to ensure the arena is always game-ready. The funds will also go towards upgrading the concrete cooling flooring, and improve the quality, maintenance and longevity of the ice surface.
The funds will also be directed towards the replacement of the sound system, which will provide a more adaptable audio experience for all events.
“Player safety for all skaters on the ice, Smoke Eaters included, is paramount,” said Craig Clare, Smoke Eaters director of hockey operations. “These updates will deliver a higher level of safety for all skaters and continue to make the Cominco Arena a standout facility in the BCHL.”
The city received $2.5 million from the CleanBC Communities Fund in October 2023, as part of the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The funds are dedicated to the Trail Memorial Centre's HVAC integration project, which upgrades the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) by integrating the HVAC with the building’s boiler and refrigeration systems.
“The upgrades we have planned for the Trail Memorial Centre will preserve its status as a premier venue for hockey and other events—a legacy which is well worth the city’s investment,” added Jones.
“We are very grateful to the Murphy Family Foundation for their contribution to this project and community support.”
According to Butler's staff report, initial scheduling will see the project start at the end of the Trail Smoke Eater season, in April, 2025.
The report anticipates a five-month window for construction and recommends work start as soon as possible to avoid disruption of ice use in the fall.
