Bill Barber Complex opens Saturday

Standing on the cement floor of an outdoor rink in Callander brought back a lot of memories for Bill Barber.

It was an outdoor rink in the town of Callander where the Hall of Famer honed his stickhandling and skating skills that helped him win a pair of Stanley Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers back in the 1970's.

"Thank you for a building like this that means so much to me," an emotional Barber said to a crowd which included residents, politicians, and even a handful of former NHL players including former Flyers teammate Jim Watson.

The 80' x 180' outdoor rink directly behind the Callander Community Centre on Swale St. received more than 1.5 million dollars in funding to build the wooden roof over the rink which will protect the natural ice from the elements for outdoor skating and shinny, as well as provide a unique venue for a number of other events such as trade shows.