Kapugia Named
Civic Center Manager
That was the headline in 1983 twenty-five years ago this week.

Ironwood - August 6th 1983


Did you know? that Lawrence "Bud" Kapugia, current Superintendent of the Wakefield-Marenisco School District was the first manager of the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center. At the time of his hiring, in 1983 , the Ironwood native was just 34 wars old.

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In two days the Patrick O’Donnell Civic Center will celebrate its 25th anniversary. In just 1 day Ironwood voters will determine if there will another 25 years ahead for the “Pat”. Tomorrow, Tuesday August 5th the current 1 mil tax comes up for renewal. The tax is not an additional tax its a renewal millage. The average Ironwood taxpayer pays approximately “$10 PER YEAR” to support the center. That’s 19 cents per week or 3 cents per day.

A small contribution to what may be Ironwood’s most important asset. The civic center is located on the campus of Gogebic Community College, another most important asset. It is very fitting that the campus was chosen to be the home of the Civic Center.

Bear with me while tell a short story about a recent trip I made with IronwoodInfo reporter Arvo Toolanen. We were headed to the Town Hall in Bergland. We stopped at Nordines and Arvo went inside to ask where the Town Hall was located and mistakenly asked “where’s your civic center?” The person in the store replied “Our Civic Center is located in Ironwood!”

We believe that says it all. It clearly demonstrates the importance of the “Pat” not only to Ironwood, but to our entire region. Every rural area has a center. In the western U.P. That center is clearly Ironwood. The College and the Civic Center undoubtedly is what makes Ironwood that center. They are the cornerstones of our community.

Life without either of these important assets diminishes our community’s importance and stature. Every town has a Post Office and every village has a library and a school district. But only Ironwood has a College and a Civic Center.
 

Photo above: Polar Bears pick up new jerseys
The Patrick O’Donnell Civic Center has served our Community well.

Our community is proud of the roll the Civic Center plays in the lives of our youth. Approximately 300 skaters, ages 3 through 19 years in age in the Polar Bear Hockey and Ice Crystal Figure Skating Clubs use the center.

Each year the Ice Crystals put on three shows that draw more than 1,000 skating fans. The Polar Bears have hosted dozens of tournaments including state championships.

These events not only filled the center but also filled local motels and restaurants during long weekends.

In addition to the Bears and Crystals. On the average more than 150 additional children use the ice facilities during open skating each weekend. This is exactly where my grand kids learned to skate. They also learned to ski and skate when the Norrie School kids went to Mt. Zion on their school bus once a week.

Each Wednesday afternoon home schooled children skate at the civic center.
The civic center is not just for kids. Many adult activities also take place at the civic center.

Each spring The Home and Sport Show attracts between 4,000 and 5,000 attendees. The Range Master Gardeners contribute both money and volunteer time to the M.S.U. Extension's booth at the Home Show The Range Master Gardeners provide gardening information and answer questions asked by local gardening enthusiast attending the show. This service to our community doesn't cost the public anything.  It's simply another benefit to having the Patrick O'Donnell Civic Center in our community
Photo above: Michigan Master Garden Chris Ainslie gives gardening information to Home Show visitors.

The Cabin Fever Show another adult function at the center draws 2000 or more attendees.

Finally, as respect to events, what child of any age hasn’t been excited watching the Circus at the "Pat". The Shrine circus had more than 1600 spectators during two performances.
 
As for tax revenues, the "Pat" depends on the generosity of the taxpayers when they enter the voting booth. Even more so, the success of the center depends on the intellectual understanding of just how important the center is not only the city but to communities distantly removed from Ironwood.
 
 

O'Donnell Center a
Gogebic Range milestone
Turns 25!
 
On August 6, 2008 the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center will celebrate its 25th anniversary as Ironwood's number one cornerstone. It is very fitting that the civic center is located on the beautiful campus of Gogebic Community College where side by side two of our most valuable resources stand as testaments to what our wonderful community can achieve with hard work, dedication and forthright communication among the various entities within our community.
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O'Donnell Center a
Gogebic Range milestone
Turns 25!
 
On August 6, 2008 the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center will celebrate its 25th anniversary as Ironwood's number one cornerstone. It is very fitting that the civic center is located on the beautiful campus of Gogebic Community College where side by side two of our most valuable resources stand as testaments to what our wonderful community can achieve with hard work, dedication and forthright communication among the various entities within our community.
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Media Day at the Civic Center
Ironwood July 22, 2008
Today was "media day"  at Ironwood's Pat O'Donnell Civic Center located on the beautiful campus of Gogebic Community College. Did you know that the "Pat" is turning 25 in a few weeks? Just one day before it's anniversary the future of this important Ironwood asset goes before the voters.
The Center has been the home of The Polar Bear Hockey Club as well as the Ice Crystals, the figure skating club. The Civic Center is the host of the Ironwood Home and Sportsman show as well as other trade shows. There are many events that take place as well, like the sportsman show scheduled for late summer.  The current management and the Friends of the Civic Center have been working successfully to bring more year round events to the center.
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A Matter of "Inches" and  "Degrees"
Wednesday July 23, 2008 - IRONWOOD
The Pat O'Donnell Civic Center is currently is in need of extra space and in possession of one obsolete energy inefficient Ice Making Machine. Not the kind that makes ice cubes for your drinks but one that makes ice for a 17,000 square foot ice rink used by 300 Polar Bear hockey players and Ice Crystal figure skaters.  

There's a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words and there's  27 photos that make up this story click to read and view the photos.
Pat O'Donnell Civic Center Vital Statistics


Length: 200 feet. Width: 120 feet.
Height at eave (hip) 20 feet. Height at ridge: 28 feet.
Area: 28,000 square feet.
Ice surface: Length 200 feet, width 85 feet. Area: 17,000 square feet.

The building is pre-engineered Varco-Pruden metal construction, with
2 ¼ inch standing seam roof, 4-inch fiberglass insulation on walls and, roof .

The roof has thermal blocks at all
transverse seams and purlins. . Truss beams are used as structural roof sup­ports. Building is engineered for 4O-pound roof load and 20-pound wind load.
 
An 8-inch poured, reinforced concrete wall eight feet above floor level and four feet (minimum) below floor level is constructed in all the bermed wall areas.

An insulated concrete block wall of like description constructed at all other wall areas, with the exception of the east end of the arena which has metal panels down to floor grade; facilitating future expansion.

A 4-inch concrete floor is provided in all areas except the ice surface area which has five inches of concrete over three inches of Styrofoam in­sulation, four feet of compacted aggregate, sub surface Glycol heating, and water drainage system.

The ice surface has a Holmsten direct expansion Freon 22 refrigeration system, induced by a piping arrangement in the concrete floor. It is intended as a year around facility, but during the winter months when ambient temperatures are below zero degrees Fahrenheit, the refrigeration system will not be required" saving fuel dollars.

The intent is to utilize the waste heat from the compressors (ice machines) in the Glycol sub­surface heating, to partially heat and dehumidify the arena area, and to provide water for the Zamboni Ice Surfacer and domestic hot water.

Bleacher seating for 1,000 persons plus ad­ditional seating for 2,000 if required, at floor level for large gatherings. Stanchion socket provisions have been made in the floor level for three regulation size tennis, volleyball and badminton courts: Two full size basketball courts are also planned. A Homosote floor, covering the ice surface should be used for non-ice related ac­tivities.