Southampton's Coliseum floor replacement construction project includes an interesting historical twist.
When 30 trucks poured loads of concrete during the renovations, two previous long-time coliseum employees met at centre ice to place a coin in the concrete.
Harold Henry, locally known as “Hardy,” placed a coin from Southampton’s 125th anniversary and Robert “Butch” Johnson placed a Saugeen Shores Pumpkinfest coin from 2000.
Both men had worked at the Coliseum for over 30 years, with many fond memories from their time at the facility.
The project is anticipated to last until the end of August 2019.
In fact, both remembered when the arena was rebuilt in the 1970s, including the final winter before the new facility opened. That winter the ice pad and boards remained for the 1976-1977 ice season and players played outside on the original pad, but with no roof.
As Ted Quennell, former Southampton Recreation Director, recalls, “It was the snowiest winter ever!”