It came straight out of the Saddledome and onto the ice of the Hussar Arena.
    The Hussar Agricultural Society will soon have a new ice surfacing machine thanks to the generosity of Cenovus.
    On Thursday afternoon, a representative of Cenovus presented the Hussar Ag Society with a donation of $50,000 to go towards the purchase of a new ice surfacing machine.
    “It is going to be really nice," said Kailee Dundas, secretary of the Hussar Ag Society. “It keeps the ice better, it’s easier to run, and it is energy efficient.”
    The Hussar arena will be celebrating its 10th anniversary, and there is a healthy amount of minor hockey and recreational hockey being played in the arena. There are also figure skating and power skating programs.
    This year they are also reviving the ringette program after about 15 years. This is close to Dundas’ heart as she played for Team Canada.
    “We are super excited to have it,” she said.
    Dundas adds the arena is for everybody; a place for kids to dream and teenagers to blow off steam, and for adults wanting to get in better shape.
    The ice surfacing machine is a 2008 Olympia, and has a laser levelling system to produce high quality ice efficiently. It replaces a unit that has nearly 30 years of service.
    Leanne Courchesne of Cenovus said the donation is in line with how Cenovus operates.
    “It’s giving back to a community where we live and operate for youth and all people to use. Recreation, health and safety, and well being are key components, and we are very happy to give back to that,” said Courchesne.

    Last Wednesday, Encana opened a compressed natural gas (CNG) station in the Clearwater Business Unit.
    The station, located in Strathmore, demonstrates Encana’s ongoing commitment to building the necessary infrastructure to support a transportation future driven by natural gas.
    “Encana is leading by example as we convert our own vehicle fleet to natural gas and help build the necessary infrastructure to support its expanded use as an alternative fuel to gasoline or diesel. Operating a fleet of vehicles on natural gas is both an economic and environmental advantage for our business, and we are inviting other business operators and consumers to join us in capturing the benefits of this clean, abundant and more affordable fuel,” said Randy Eresman, Encana’s president and CEO.
    “We believe that natural gas as a transportation fuel has huge potential to improve the bottom line of its users. Our vast North American supply of natural gas truly represents a domestic energy solution and a way to further strengthen the economies of both Canada and the United States. In fact, the natural gas industry currently employs nearly 3.4 million people and every one per cent increase in natural gas production creates up to 35,000 new jobs.”
    The Strathmore CNG station will fuel Encana’s growing fleet of natural gas-powered vehicles, which now has 39 trucks converted to run on natural gas in the company’s Clearwater Business Unit encompassing the Strathmore area. Overall, Encana has 128 of its approximately 1,400-vehicle North American fleet running on natural gas to date, as well as 15 drilling rigs, and continues to further expand its conversion program. Beginning in 2012, Encana Natural Gas expects to offer the Strathmore station’s fueling services to other corporate fleets in the area and to the public at a later date.
    Luigi Vesacarelli, community Relations advisor for the company in Drumheller says the company is still evaluating the possibility of a filling station in the industrial area of Drumheller.
 Natural gas-powered cars and trucks are fueled with CNG or liquefied natural gas (LNG) and operate similarly to gasoline-powered vehicles. There are currently more than 960 natural gas vehicle fueling stations in the United States fueling about 110,000 natural gas vehicles. Canada has a network of approximately 80 public fueling stations in five provinces.