The Plex arena in Port Elgin is having a birthday.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the facility on Tomlinson Drive.
Last night before the start of the Saugeen Shores Wintehawks hockey game, a special ceremony was held that included the mayor of the time Mark Kraemer.
Kraemer says the ceremony brought back some terrific memories as a group of dedicated people set out to raise funds and get the facility built.
He says the very first event in the Plex was a New Year’s Eve dance to welcome in the millenium in the year 2000.
The very first hockey game played was on Sunday, January 23rd, 2000 when Port Elgin shared home games with Owen Sound and the Greys hockey club.
Kraemer says he recalls the concept of the arena was a tough sell.
He says he recalls someone said no matter what they do, the first number in the price tag has to be a “two.”
They did it, but it came in 2.9-million dollars and with a few changes added near the end the cost of the Plex came in at just over three million dollars.
Kraemer says when you compare arenas being being for over 9 million dollars in Hanover and over 32 million in Owen Sound, Saugeen Shores got a good return on the money spent.
