Two fundraising grants totalling $85,000 are going a long way to rebuild a piece of Portage la Prairie's soul.

The Koko Platz Community Rec Centre announced earlier this month that they had received a $25,000 Stronger Communities Fund from CN and a $60,000 Community Grant from The Community Foundation of Portage and District.

Koko Platz Board Member Kaitlyn Coates describes the feelings of getting these grants as incredibly exciting.

"That was about one of the best phone calls I've ever got," she continues. "It's a complete game changer for us."

Initially, the Koko Platz rebuild group had set a fundraising goal of $500,000. So far, through community donations and grants, they have raised $278,000 as awell as $157,000 from the province toward that goal.

"We're getting close, and we're still kind of always planning because we don't have the exact numbers yet, just considering cost overruns. We're still looking for donations to just make it all a reality and make it a reality, the sooner, the better."

Coates says that as the main grant writer for the board, the news of two significant grants coming in was an unreal experience.

"We just hope that we can rebuild it bigger or better than it ever has been and that high-quality ice."