Ironwood Township Fire Department Helps Civic Center Put Down Ice

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - Saturday, October 18, 2008 - Tony Cortez and Josh Ludtke (pictured here) are volunteers with the Ironwood Township Fire Department. For the first time in the history of the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center, the Department assisted the Center in putting down ice. The Department is generously donated their time, fuel, equipment and materials to help the center by bringing their pumper truck to flood the arena.

Creating the ice for the Center is a ten-day process. The cooling grid pictured with this article needs to be layered with ice -- up to approximately two and one-half inches. One of the layers will be painted and marked for hockey using ice paint, and then flooded again to form a perfect surface for skating.

Prior to the last election, the Civic Center was "under the gun" and at risk of closing it's doors. Thanks to voter support, the millage for the Center was renewed, enabling the Center to continue operations. Many changes have been made by the Center in an effort to make it self-sufficient. Volunteer efforts, such as those by the Ironwood Township Fire Department, make it possible for the Center to remain open.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Superior Chronicle has, in the past, been severely criticized for so heavily supporting police, public safety, and fire department efforts. We find it hard to believe that Ironwood's "traditional pulp" media has miserably failed to report the never-ending public service these people provide for the area. It seems whenever something needs to be done, there is always a public safety officer or volunteer fireman there to do it! It is very comforting to know that we have quality, decent people available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, that are willing to drop whatever they are doing at a second's notice to put their lives on the line to keep us safe and protected. For that reason, the Chronicle will continue to report the good deeds these individuals do for this community. These are good people, and they deserve a little recognition for the things they do to make life better for all of us.