ROME, N.Y. -- When demolition began back in March of this year, arena management had a dream of bringing a state of the art facility to the city of Rome and its surrounding communities.

Now with work 90 percent complete, that vision is becoming a reality. Between additions for new locker rooms, a new refrigeration unit and insulation and expanding the ice rink to make it regulation size, the heavy work is done. Only touch up work remains.

"We still have to finish the bleachers, put the flooring down, the boards still need to go up. There's some painting that still needs to be done. Just a lot of button up stuff really," said arena manager Mike Kohli.

Once it's complete, it will be a place the entire community can enjoy all year round.

"It'll really be a multi-purpose facility that the total community can enjoy. And not just the hockey players, the figure skaters and the public skaters, but year round for the teenagers to have something to do. For the seniors to have something to do and I think the community will be solidly behind us," said project coordinator Bill Fleet.

And community members are showing their support by raising additional money for the arena. Donations come from shops like Bill's Variety, which made a $1,000 contribution from funds raised mainly from a jar on the store counter.

"I really want to see this go because it's in my neighborhood and even if it was on the other side of town I would do it to," said Bill Izzo, owner of Bill's Variety.

The latest donation brings the total amount to just over $460,000, just $40,000 short of their goal.

Work is expected to be completed by October 11th, just one week behind the original estimation.