Whatever is going on at the City Arena in Albert Lea, Bob Furland is normally at the center of it.

Furland, the facility manager with the Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Department, found the job he always wanted when he was hired 10 years ago.

Furland, an Albert Lea native, was living in Kasson and had wanted to make his way back to Albert Lea. He got his opportunity after working in arenas across the Midwest for the last 20 years.

“It’s the job that I always wanted,” Furland said. “When I came back it was like I never left.”

As the facility manager, Furland, 45, is in charge of scheduling events for City Arena, a job that can become tricky. His job got a little busier when Albert Lea landed a Junior A hockey team.

Team owner Barry Soskin and other people with an interested party became the Albert Lea Thunder came by on a Sunday. Furland thought it was just a tour of the facility, but things took another direction quickly.

“We thought that was probably all that it would be,” Furland said. “We thought we’d spend half an hour with them, and they were here for three hours.”

Soskin was interested in building a a team in Albert Lea and Furland had to work quickly to make that a possibility.

“Everybody had to do so much for me so quick to get this done,” Furland said. “I think we were still writing the lease the day of the council meeting.”

With the help of the city attorney, Jay Hutchison, parks and rec director, and many others, Furland was able to get a contract in place that both sides liked and the Thunder was born.

It was a lot of work for Furland to complete in a short amount of time and while he is quick to point out the efforts of others, co-worker Joanne Hagen knows the amount of time and energy Furland put into the project.

“He underestimates himself,” Hagen said. “When the Thunder came he got everything put together. He kind of got it started, he had to get contracts started, the rules and what they are going to have to go by. For him to move as fast as he did I was very impressed.”

Age: 45

Address: north side of Albert Lea

Livelihood: facility manager at Albert Lea City Arena for Parks and Recreation Department.

Family: wife, Sue, 46; sons Thomas, 14, Tim, 12

Interesting fact: He lists baseball and soccer among his favorite sports.

The addition of the Thunder has meant Hagen and Furland have had to work together more to make sure every team sees it fair share of ice time during the winter and that can be tricky with so many teams looking for time, teams from Tigers to Squirts.

“He’s got a pretty big responsibility, and he’s gotten a lot better with me around,” Hagen said. “We try to keep him organized.”

Furland, admittedly, is not as organized as others but is able to work with the various teams to find times that work for them.

“Joanne is real good at keeping me organized,” Furland said. “I have so many volunteers that it wouldn’t be possible if not for them.”

Part diplomat, Furland has to find time for the high school hockey teams, the youth hockey teams and figure skaters, not to mention the various events that use the City Arena and that puts a premium on the ice time.

“There’s a premium on it, but all the people are good to work with,” Furland said. “All the people are willing to bend if they help them out later.”

It took a long time for Furland to make it back to Albert Lea. He has worked in Michigan, Wisconsin, the Twin Cities, Janesville and Kasson before making his way home. He feels right at home at the City Arena and is probably there now.

“I’m at the arena most of the time,” Furland said.