WESTVILLE ROAD - Traditional rink fries are coming to the Pictou County Wellness Centre.
Pictou County Wellness Centre Building Authority Chair Shannon MacInnis confirmed Wednesday that a fryer has been ordered and two new employees have been hired to operate the Intermissions Café.
“In the very near future, you will see some rink fries,” MacInnis said.
Under the leadership of Derrick Pierre and Jenna Tait, who currently own Pier 15 at New Glasgow’s Marina as well as The Commune, MacInnis said the Intermissions Café will also include healthy selections for visitors to the YMCA during daytime hours and more traditional fries and rink food for people attending hockey games in the evenings.
“We are not going to change everything,” said Tait. “We are going to keep the integrity of what is going on here, but offer some more options - healthy options. We are bringing rink fries back and traditional rink food with maybe a different twist.
Other food options will include sandwiches, wraps, soups and homemade snacks such as energy bites and protein bars. When the Wellness Centre is hosting hockey tournaments or other special events, the menu might expand even more to include chili and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Tait and Pierre said some minor changes have already taken place since they have been hired by the Wellness Centre such as adding a second cash register at the Intermissions Café during Pictou County Jr. A Crushers games to help ease long line ups. Popcorn and pop are also being sold in the arena stands and in the future, they hope a beer lounge will be established where beer can be sold to Crusher fans.
Tait said it will be difficult to say when all of the changes will be in place because they are still waiting for equipment to be hooked up, but it is expected the majority of the work will be done by mid-October.
Business hours will also change to Monday to Wednesday from 2 p.m. to close and Thursday to Sunday, all day to close.
Pictou County Wellness Centre General Manager David Hood said the experience in the food industry that Pierre and Tait bring to the café is a huge benefit that the centre hopes will not only increase revenue, but also provide customer satisfaction.
"It is certainly hoped to increase revenue from that side of the business, but the main kind of change is driven by the fact that we want to meet the needs of the public,” he said. “People want to see a fuller, broader, menu available. We will have healthy alternatives but also traditional arena food that we can offer the public.”
