The hardcore skeptics said it couldn't be done: no way the Kootenai Youth Recreation Organization (KYRO) could raise $800K of the $2.8 million needed to build the proposed Frontier Ice Arena.

KYRO, the nonprofit organization which owns and operates the arena, didn't listen to the skeptics and now has every reason to be jubilant. The progress made just two years after the arena's grand opening on Sept. 22, 2012, is nothing short of astounding. Here are some surprising reasons why the entire region can share in KYRO's jubilation:

In December 2008, the old, 24,000-square-foot KYRO Ice Arena's roof collapsed. Fortunately, no one was injured but the popular recreation facility was declared a total loss. At the time, the arena had only one full-time and 10 seasonal positions. The old arena was open from September to April and had a smaller than NHL regulation size ice sheet. The new, 34,000-square-foot arena boasts an NHL regulation size ice sheet, employs three full-time and 15 part-time workers and is open year-round. This spurred Spokane's "Hockey Armor" to open a second store virtually adjacent to the arena; the ice sports equipment business employs three full-time people.

The old arena took great pride in being "home ice" to the Coeur d'Alene Lakers hockey team. Two new organizations, Compete Hockey Academy and the soon-to-be-named Coeur d'Alene Icehawks are now calling Frontier Ice Arena "home ice."

Both organizations have high-quality teams comprised of extremely talented, "hungry" players (ages 15-20) who are seeking college scholarships and/or being drafted into the professional ranks. Local players are augmented by players from throughout the USA and Canada. The Icehawks compare their "Junior A, Tier 1" level of competition in the sport of hockey to that of "AA level," minor-league teams in baseball.

Both the Icehawks and Compete Hockey Academy are businesses with several full-time employees. The Compete Hockey Academy has "17 (years old) and under" and "15 (years old) and under" teams whose games with other teams in the Canadian Hockey Academy League are equally exciting!

The number of youth hockey and adult hockey players/teams now exceeds that which existed at the time the old arena collapsed. In addition to the traditional recreation programs found in most community ice arenas - hockey, figure skating, public skating sessions, ice-skating lessons for kids and adults - Frontier Ice Arena has expanded its programs to include parent-tot skating lessons, curling, broomball and sled-hockey (an international para-Olympic sport designed for people with mobility challenges). Curling, broomball and sled-hockey require no ice skates or ice skating skills. Broomball is typically tied to employee parties, team-building sessions, birthday parties and fundraising events. It's a fun game for all ages!

The team competition sports bring scores of visiting teams from all over the Northwest and Southwestern Canada. Tournaments and camps for adult and youth hockey players add significantly to the number of visitors to our area. These visitors do much to spur the local economy during the typically slow winter months.

Several fundraising events have occurred these past two years. For example, the very popular and highly successful "Guns and Hoses" event, a hockey game between local firefighters and members of local law enforcement agencies, is destined to become an annual local tradition. Proceeds from "Guns and Hoses" go to benefit families of fallen first responders. KYRO hopes the same is in store for "Hockey Fest" which featured a game between NHL legends (including Wayne Gretzky) and a resurrected Coeur d'Alene Lakers team which included current NHL player Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning and his former Lakers teammates. Johnson played youth hockey for the Lakers at the old KYRO Ice Arena before being drafted by the Spokane Chiefs, then moving to the NHL.

The bulk of proceeds from "Hockey Fest" went to Children's Village, with KYRO receiving some help as well.

KYRO officials estimate an average of 3,000 people per week come through Frontier Ice Arena's doors to participate in or watch whatever is happening on the ice. The arena's 4,000-square-foot heated lobby features huge plate glass windows overlooking the ice sheet's rink-side seating area, a great snack bar offering many food and beverage choices, fully ADA accessible restrooms and a private party room which can seat 30 people. It's a family-oriented, pleasant and comfortable surrounding for all.

The first 60 seats of the planned 150 rink-side stadium-style seating will be installed in October; the remainder will be installed as quickly as funds become available. Outside the arena, the paved, lit and landscaped 130-space parking lot is also fully ADA compliant with a clear path of travel from parking spaces to the lobby.

Happy second anniversary, Frontier Ice Arena! Good on ya! You have proved to be the "jewel in the rough" you said you would be: an extraordinary asset to those of us who are privileged to live here, to those who visit or contemplate relocating to our area and to our local economy.

To know what's "on ice" at the arena, go to www.frontiericearena.org. Address any questions to info@kyro.org.

Skip Fuller is a Coeur d'Alene resident.