City of Elliot Lake receives $300,000 from former residents Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong to kick off Centennial Arena Fundraising effort

Today, a collective group including the City of Elliot Lake, Elliot Lake Minor Hockey, Elliot Lake Skating Club, Elliot Lake Rotary and ELNOS have come together to announce a fundraising campaign. The goal of this project is to raise $500,000 to assist with repairs to Elliot Lake Centennial Arena. To kick-start this campaign, the group is announcing a generous donation from former Elliot Lake residents Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong in the amount of $300,000. In honour of their donation, the initiative will be named the “Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong Centennial Arena Repair Fundraising Challenge”

 

"Having played hockey throughout my school days in Elliot Lake, I remember the excitement we all felt when we finally had an indoor arena, and we were saddened to hear it had to be shut down last fall”. said Mr. Armstrong. “Throughout our lives we have endlessly told our stories about growing up here. We have always been appreciative of the values learned in this unique environment of equality and respect, unrivaled in any other place we have ever lived or visited. For a number of years, we have been trying to think how we could pay back that experience, and this is it. I challenge the residents and businesses of Elliot Lake, and former Elliot Lakers, to join us in restoring the arena and help create memories for generations to come”.

“This extremely generous donation is very meaningful to the community,” said Elliot Lake Mayor Andrew Wannan. Adding “This reminds us all that no matter where you go or where you live currently, Elliot Lake always has a special place in the hearts of those who grew up here. The offer came completely unsolicited and out of the blue”. He continued, “This donation will assist the municipality in the repair of the Centennial Arena while limiting the financial impact that may affect other city operations. The ultimate goal is to get the youth of Elliot Lake back on the ice participating in the sport they love and making memories that will last a lifetime.”

 

The Centennial Arena was closed in September 2023 due to concerns about the structural integrity of the building. This meant that the 2023-2024 seasons for Minor Hockey, Figure Skating and Jr A hockey had to be played out of town causing a hardship to parents and the organizations. This substantial donation will allow the municipality to leverage other grant funding to complete and perhaps expedite the unexpected and costly structural repairs.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong and the groups heading up the effort hope that other organizations including businesses will step forward and help raise funds. This campaign will start on April 12th with the launch of the donation page ElliotLake.ca/arenadonation and will run until August 31st. There will be several events to fundraise including an Elliot Lake Minor Hockey hosted ball hockey tournament. All donations made through the website will be eligible for a tax receipt.

 

About the Donors

Mr. Armstrong serves as CEO and president of JDA Investments (US), Inc., based in Phoenix, AZ. He was the founder and CEO of JDA Software, a provider of software to the world-wide retail industry. Mr. Armstrong is involved with a number of charitable endeavors. He is president and chairman of the Kiita Foundation, president of the Armstrong Family Foundation and chairman of the Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation Jo-Ann Armstrong, in addition to raising four children, was instrumental in the development of JDA Software in its’ early years. She has served, through the family’s foundation, in a variety of philanthropic endeavors and currently serves on the board of the Kiita Foundation. Mr. & Mrs. Armstrong both enjoyed growing up in Elliot Lake.

 

For a full biography and to learn more about the fund, visit elliotlake.ca/arenadonation