The days for the old arena are numbered.
A decision to demolish the facility was made last June, after engineering studies concluded the facility required extensive investment to remain operational and community consultation conducted last spring indicated an overwhelming support for replacing it with a downtown park. This project is currently in the design stage with no firm timeline or commitment in place.
Prior to demolition, Council decided to allow clubs to use the facility in its current state until the final plans for the new park were approved or until the facility became a health and safety concern. Unfortunately that day arrived suddenly and unexpectedly, coinciding with the launch of the season for the facility’s user groups.
Structural investigations by Barry Bryan and Associates in 2019 and 2023 explored the condition of the facility, identifying a variety of contaminants including mould, asbestos and lead paint. Cabium Engineering conducted air quality tests and a Designated Substances Survey in the spring of 2023 to investigate the mould growth, but determined there was no health risk due to air quality in the building at that time
Prior to re-opening the facility this fall, air quality tests were conducted again in September. For the first time, these results showed a sudden spike that warranted further investigation. The municipality has been seeking feedback on those results for weeks, but only heard last Friday October 18, morning that the facility should be closed to the public until the health risk due to air quality concern was resolved. The initial testing process was not robust enough to establish the extent of the issue and further testing began last week. Those results will require a full evaluation to determine what remediation would be required to allow the facility to welcome back users.
Because of the shortage of indoor turf surfaces available to recreational groups in the area, the facility has been rented out to user groups since 2020. Council committed again in May 2023 to keep the facility open on a seasonal basis provided the building remained safe to occupy and the costs of keeping it open were reasonable. The financial implications of keeping the building open were outlined in the May 2023 Parks and Recreation report to Council. Rental revenues almost covered the operating costs in 2021 and 2022 and the township has invested $70,000 in capital expenditures for heaters, turf and glycol removal to accommodate the seasonal users. Parks and Recreation Manager Chris Allison confirms the operational deficit continues to be minimal provided current contracted rentals continue.
The municipality and the facility users all hope that the health and safety issue in the building can be addressed quickly and affordably to allow the arena to provide another year of service to the community. The results of the environmental assessment currently underway and the costs of the remediation actions it recommends will determine whether this will be the arena’s last season. KG