There was a huge gathering at the Millarville Community school and rink yesterday to celebrate the $50,000 grant the Millarville Sports Association received from the Hitmen Foundation to build a new outdoor rink.

Members of the Calgary Hitmen, The Flames and Farley were all in attendance to officially present the cheque to the Sports Association in front of students at Millarville Community School.

Millarville resident Drena Walmsey says the fact that 21,000 people voted for the Millarville Rink to win the Hitmen's Community Restoration Funding Contest shows how strong the community is.

"Its huge this community really pulled together and has come alive in the process of voting and supporting each other and this money is going to go to such great use in the rink." she says. ""I think it says that we really believe and we're a strong community, there's not better place to live in this world than Millarville."

Walmsey says the rink will become an integral gathering area, she believes there's nothing more magical than playing hockey outdoors on a Saturday afternoon.

"Its one of those traditions that we rally want to keep alive, and for some kids that maybe want a bit more hockey it can be frustrating for them when there's so many cancellations, and this way we'll be able to maintain our ice for the season, and we can us our concrete base for other sports."

She adds the entire community will band together to take care of the rink.

"Once our ice is in this will be our home ice, its all volunteer run, we maintain it, we put the ice in, we have a 'manzonie', it really brings the community together."