Arena to be iced?
By Kyra Hoggan
The Pioneer Arena may soon become a thing of the past as the local landmark falls prey to modern expectations. Jim Crockett, Castlegar and District recreation manager, said the recreation commission recently contracted out both mechanical and structural assessments of the Pioneer and the Complex to help formulate a five- to seven-year plan for the city’s rec amenities. The resulting report found that bringing the Pioneer up to a standard acceptable to the modern user would very likely cost millions, if not tens of millions, of dollars.
“It would be a considerable cost,” he said, explaining the question now is whether to go ahead with upgrades and repairs, or to mothball the old facility and upgrade the Complex instead, adding a second sheet of ice at the newer rec centre location.
The upside of such a move, he said, would include the elimination of redundancy – they would then only need to staff one facility, run one concession, etcetera, while the convenience for users would be enhanced, particularly during tournaments and other major usage events, by having all their needs met at a single site.
Such a decision would also save countless dollars in repairs to the Pioneer – upgrading the floor alone is estimated at about $1 million, while the ice plant (which is currently more than five years past its life expectancy) would cost roughly half-a-million dollars to replace – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg (or the rink, as the case may be).
“Even the change-room doors are a problem,” said city councillor Russ Hearne, who also sits on the rec commission board. “If you’re on the ice and one of those doors swings open, you shouldn’t be able to see inside the change room … but you can, right now.”
Hearne went on to stress that all safety issues pinpointed in the report have been addressed.
But the picture is not all doom and gloom, according to Crockett. Upgrading the Complex opens the door to opportunity well beyond maintaining the status quo, and may include bonuses like a larger fitness centre, more space for the now-overcrowded seniors’ centre, and possibly even an attraction like a waterslide in the aquatic centre.
Rec commission staff are now working at developing hard cost estimates for the various options, so an informed decision can be made sooner rather than later, and both Hearne and Crockett agree there will be public consultation regarding whatever decision is ultimately reached. The issue may even become a referendum concern, as there may be a need to borrow millions of dollars to see any final plan brought to fruition.
As for the old arena, Hearne said they’re not ready yet to decide what will happen to the facility if it is no longer being used as an ice rink.
“We don’t even know yet if repairing it is our best option, so it hardly makes sense to start figuring out what other uses it can be put to,” he said. “Of course we’ll look at all the options (such as the possibility of allowing a community organization to make it home) if we decide to put a second sheet of ice at the Complex, but right now, that sort of discussion is premature.”
He added the commission is not unaware of the sentimental and historic value of the Pioneer, as it was built by volunteers in the community, for the community, and board members will factor the emotional value of the edifice in their decision-making process.
