At the November 23, 2020 Martensville City Council meeting, Director of Recreation and Community Services Ted Schaeffer brought forward a report regarding a request that was made for live video streaming at the Martensville Sports Centre.
Because of COVID restrictions, the number of spectators allowed within the facility was limited and the City of Martensville received a request from Martensville Minor Hockey to have a live video streaming system installed for people to view online. “Unfortunately, family members and friends were unable to watch because of the limited amount of people allowed within the facility, so we wanted to find the best way for these people that can’t view, an opportunity to view,” Angie Reddekopp, City of Martensville Program Coordinator, stated.
From here, a partnership was formed between Ainsworth Inc., Eecol Electric and the City of Martensville, which resulted in the installation of camera equipment at the Martensville Sports Centre earlier this month.
This partnership has enabled a live-stream view of the Martensville Sports Centre ice surface for viewers – free of charge. “One thing that we didn’t want to have was a subscription service where people would be required to register and pay a fee to view it. This way, anyone can go online and be able to watch at no cost to them,” Reddekopp explained.
To ensure uninterrupted quality, the City of Martensville upgraded their internet service at the Martensville Sports Centre for a stronger connection. “When we initially installed it, we were having some challenges with regards to it stopping and starting and freezing, so we upgraded and that has helped immensely,” Reddekopp added.
Currently, Minor Hockey practices can be viewed via the live stream, while other groups such as the Martensville Figure Skating Club will have access available during special events. Live streaming is currently scheduled beginning 4:30pm on Monday and Wednesday, 6:00pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and available all day on weekends.
To view the live-feed, search ‘Martensville Arena’ on YouTube.
