MetroWest Daily News
Monday, December 4, 2006
The Beat
By Mike Biglin/ Daily News Staff

Odds & Ends
Well, said a few weeks back that big things were going on with the Framingham Hockey Foundation. First off, it has a new name: the Loring Arena Legacy Foundation. Guess there was some confusion about what it was before. Well, there's none anymore.

Canby Dautel, the new executive director, and NESN's Tom Caron, as president, are aggressively moving forward with their fund-raising efforts -- with the ultimate goal of full rehabilitation and new renovations on the old barn. The foundation now has the support of Framingham girls hockey, Framingham youth hockey and the Bay Path figure skating groups, according to Dautel.

And they're not wasting any time getting the puck rolling. On Wednesday, Dec. 27, the foundation will be hosting a Holiday Skate at Loring from 1-4 p.m. There will also be games, raffles and prizes during the three-hour session. Tickets are $5 at the door, or call Sue Brown at 508-820-8813 to get them early.

For more information on this event, or anything else about the foundation, go to their web site at LoringArenaLegacyFoundation.org

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Boston Globe
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Framingham rink putting on the glitz
By Craig Larson

Loring Arena is affectionately known as an old "hockey barn," a treasure closing in on its 50th anniversary.

Now, a group of Framingham residents is determined to make sure the rink will flourish for another 50 years as a year-round civic center.

"You don't have to rip the place down; just spruce up what's around it," said Tom Caron, president of the new Loring Arena Legacy Foundation, which has replaced the Framingham Hockey Foundation. "We want to make it a more functional facility."

A fresh coat of paint last fall was just the start of what the foundation hopes will be a complete overhaul of the facility. Framingham Town Meeting has approved funds for new boards and glass, which will be installed in April.

"Now we have to decide what the next step is. Is it a new scoreboard, or a new sound system?" said Caron, a Boston sportscaster who is sharing leadership of the foundation with executive director Canby Dautel.

The facility also needs new locker rooms, a heated concession area, new offices, and a new concrete slab underneath the ice surface.

The rink is currently home to the Framingham High boys' and girls' hockey programs, the Framingham Youth Hockey program, the Framingham State men's hockey team, and Bay State Figure Skating. All those groups now have a seat on the foundation's board.

Dautel, who envisions the project taking three to five years to complete, said the key is establishing a broader base of support. He said the foundation is actively approaching public and private sponsors for donations.

To that end, the foundation is aiming to spread the word with a Loring Legacy Holiday Skate, scheduled for Dec. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m., an event of raffles, skating, and fun. Funds generated will be directed to Loring improvements.

"That will be the re launch of the foundation," said Caron, a sports anchor for NESN who has a vested interest in the program with two youngsters on skates.

"One of the reasons we changed the name was this is not just about hockey. We've refocused our mission. Now we're ready to roll and make some noise in the community. It's amazing how many kids come through the door of the building. A lot of towns have lost their community rinks. We don't want that to ever happen here."

The contact for the holiday skate is Sue Brown at 508-820-8813. Tickets will be available at the door for $5.