Early stages of the Jim Neilson sports complex at Big River First Nation. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

Big Projects

Arena and high school start to take shape at Big River First Nation

Aug 18, 2021 | 5:08 PM

Residents of the Big River First Nation can now see the early stages of a new arena and school which are being built as you enter the community.

To honor a former band member and former NHLer, the arena is being named after Jim Neilson. The school will be named after Chief John Keenatch who unfortunately passed away in a car accident.

Big River First Nation Chief Jack Rayne said they are expecting construction to be done in the summer of 2022 just before school will start.

“Construction will start right away. We are hoping and crossing our fingers that it will be done next summer,” Rayne told paNOW.

The school will be for grades 6-12 and will have a full cafeteria, a large gym with three volleyball courts and a 500 seat lecture theatre. The arena will have 800 seats and will be able to accommodate 1400 people.

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Councilor, Marvin Netmaker said the facilities will benefit the young people of the community. They hope since the school will be attached to the arena many community members will be more influenced by athletics rather than drugs and alcohol.

“We have a good sports program, and the education program is up and coming, the quality is going up,” Netmaker said. “Sports and education is one of the things we support as leaders, and we support it a lot. We back up our young people.

“Our goal is to always lead our young people to get away from drugs, alcohol, and gangs that can be prevalent in the area. One of the things we encourage our young people is to pursue sports. It gets them further away from that and gets them access to the world around them, instead of being here all the time.. they can go and be a Jim Neilson.”

He also added the facility will be a hub and will assist in the community coming together.

“Hockey is a big thing here. We have a lot of fans here and hockey will really bring the community together. We really support our athletes,” Netmaker said.

Jack Rayne, Chief of Big River First Nation said the facilities will be open in the summer of 2022. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

David Neilson, the son of the late Jim Neilson has been a member of the band for over 15 years, and said having his father’s name on the arena is a very big honor.

“The way my dad felt about it was very surreal and was a very big honor,” Neilson said. “Being here and hearing the acknowledgements for my dad, who was a Big River First Nation member, and seeing the meal, the jerseys and to have chief and council honor his name with the arena has been helpful.”

He also added facilities like the ones being built bring more people to the community for the first time and bring people back as well.

Seeing the sports complex attached to the school means a lot to him and his family.

“Dad grew up in an orphanage in Prince Albert in the 50’s and 60’s and if it wasn’t for the schooling and the outdoor rink, he wouldn’t have made it,” Neilson said. “Having this high end complex attached to the school is for the young people, the future generations and keeping them busy with athletics and education and to have my dad’s name attached to that is a great honor to my family.”

Neilson was inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2010.

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dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @dawsonthompson8