HUMBOLDT — The City of Humboldt has announced the opening of the new Jacob Leicht Memorial Outdoor Rink and Courts on June 17.
Mayor Rob Muench shared the news in a social media post, stating, “The new Jacob Leicht Memorial Outdoor Rink and Courts are ready to go.”
The new recreation area offers facilities for pickleball, tennis, basketball and, during the winter season, an outdoor skating rink.
Michael Ulricksen, the city’s director of community and leisure services, told Â鶹´«Ã½AV the city received $350,000 in funding through the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) in 2020, “which went towards the establishment of the outdoor rink and courts facility.”
The City of Humboldt plans to keep the facility open to the public 24/7.
“The washroom and concession building located beside the courts will have shorter operating hours, but the courts themselves will remain unlocked and available for use at any time,” Ulricksen said.
“City council and staff had a preview tonight as part of a council facility tour,” Muench added. “Thank you to the Province of Saskatchewan, the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament, Humboldt Minor Ball and City of Humboldt staff for making this possible.”
Celeste Leray-Leicht also took to social media, writing: “Thank you to the Province of Saskatchewan, the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament committee, Humboldt Minor Ball and the City of Humboldt for this incredible gift to the community in memory of Jacob. We are deeply touched. #JL11”
The Jacob Leicht Memorial Outdoor Rink and Courts is a new community sports facility built in honour of Leicht, a beloved Humboldt resident and member of the 2017–18 Humboldt Broncos, who tragically died in the April 2018 bus crash.
According to Ulricksen, no donations from the GoFundMe campaign established following the accident were used for this project.
