Partner sought to reopen Sportsplex canteen

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This article was published 25/08/2022 (1277 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than three years after the Sportsplex canteen served its last customer, the City of Brandon is looking for a private partner to refresh the space and take over operations.

The city issued a tender on its website late last week looking for contractors to bid on the redesign, renovation and management of the canteen, which shut down in April 2019 after a previous request for proposals only received a single submission to replace the restaurant with vending machines. It is located on the Sportsplex’s upper level between the pool and the ice rink.

At a December 2019 University ward meeting, then-acting city manager Dean Hammond told the assembled crowd that those vending machines weren’t meeting customer expectations.

He and former Sportsplex manager Jeff Elliott stated that there had been some “loose inquiries” from local businesses about taking over the canteen, but warned that several upgrades would be required to get it to meet Manitoba Health standards.

The tender document shows that while the winning bidder will be responsible for the financial cost of operating the canteen, hiring staff and designing the refreshed site, the city will be responsible for paying for repairs to city-owned equipment, providing utilities and allowing access to bathroom facilities.

The city’s manager of recreation, Heather Reimer, stated in an email Wednesday that the previous request for proposals was for either or both the vending machines and canteen operations and this tender is just for canteen operations and any needed renovations.

Whatever services provided by the reopened canteen will be up to those bidding on the contract, along with the timeline for its opening, Reimer wrote.

Though tenders for the application close on Sept. 30 at 5 p.m., the documents do not outline a set timeline for the reopening of the canteen. They only state that the city will recommend a winning bid within eight weeks of submissions closing.

Existing pieces of equipment at the canteen are a grill, deep fryer, stove and dishwasher, all listed to be in “fair” condition.

Though the new operator will set its own hours, the city is mandating that the canteen must be open during hockey tournaments, high school and college hockey games, swim meets, racquetball tournaments, track and field events and other special events.

The services offered by the canteen are not allowed to compete with those vending machines until that contract expires on April 30, 2024.

The city is leaving open the door for the potential sale of alcoholic beverages, but states in the tender that it must follow provincial regulations and receive final approval from the city.

Any agreement the city enters will be between five and 10 years in duration, and the winning bidder will not be allowed to sublet operations of the canteen.

“We are excited to release this RFP and are hopeful that we will see a good level of interest from the food service industry,” Reimer wrote.

“Our hope is to find a partner who can provide exceptional service to our Sportsplex customers, and the surrounding area.”

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