It’s the end of an era.

Fifty years ago, Kelly Saunders got his start operating a Zamboni ice resurfacing machine at several rinks across Halifax, eventually climbing the ranks to become the head ice technician at the city’s largest venue, the Scotiabank Centre.

But now the self-described “rink rat” is hanging up the keys.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be here for a long time, and I’ve kind of done it all,” Saunders said about his recent decision to retire from preparing the ice at the Scotiabank Centre, where he’s worked for the past 39 years of his five-decade career.

For a long stretch of that time, since 1994, Saunders has been keeping the Halifax Mooseheads’ home venue in top condition. That was the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League club’s inaugural season.

If an event took plac

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