Erected in 1977 with just one sheet of ice, the Brainerd Civic Center has stood proud for 37 years. It has had some major upgrades including a heated viewing area added in 1981, and a second sheet of ice in 1999. This weekend marked another notable addition.

Plans for the addition started seven years ago, but really came to life when the Brainerd Amateur Hockey Foundation purchased the arena for a dollar last October. As a part of renovations, the Brainerd Civic Center name was ditched, and in came the Essentia Health Sports Center.

At the forefront of renovations was making the arena more user-friendly. That included handicap accessibility such as bathrooms and an elevator to get to the second floor.

The addition will also benefit all of the programs that use the arena.

By — Justin Prince

Sports Director in Bemidji