LETTER: Residents urged to weigh in on Sportsplex

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/08/2023 (995 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s nothing like seeing your kid on the ice and remembering how your own parents cheered you on from the stands. Brandon’s Community Sportsplex is about family. It’s a place that brings us together and bonds us, right from the time we lace up our little one’s skates for the first time.

It’s also the home of some powerful dreams. NHLers and world-class figure skaters started out with our Sportsplex ice under their blades.

The Sportsplex means so much to our community — it gives us a chance to have fun while staying healthy — whether that’s on the ice, on the court or in the water.

That’s why having the arena shut down is deeply frustrating.

On top of equipment failures, health and safety experts told us in March that the ammonia ice plant was dangerous. We could not put Brandon families — especially the kids — at risk.

But the timing could not be worse.

In 2022, we started a capital planning process to sort out how to make sure the Sportsplex is successful for the long-term — meeting the needs of the community now and into the future.

To meet that goal, we sought out a needs assessment. The independent study being done by respected firm MNP is going to help us make sure we’re spending public dollars in the way that will benefit Brandon families most, delivering the most opportunity for people to enjoy their favourite sports and activities.

In a perfect world, the aging ice plant at the Sportsplex would have kept chugging along until the capital planning process and needs assessment gave us a road map for where we go next.

So even after March’s shutdown, we have tried to make that happen. We immediately searched for quotes on repairing the existing ammonia ice plant. The news is not what we hoped for. The repairs will cost more than $350,000 and won’t be done until 2024. The repaired ice plant will only last about a year, because in 2025 it will no longer meet new provincial regulations.

We have to consider all our short-term and long-term options. That’s why we’re waiting for a needs assessment.

We won’t speculate on what that study will tell us — in part because an important part of that process is consulting Brandonites about what you want the Sportsplex to offer you and your family.

By meaningfully consulting and listening to you and your neighbours, and carefully studying the information and recommendations the needs assessment offers, we’re going to get a road map to move forward.

But while we can’t speculate on the outcome of this process, it’s important to us to make something very clear right now: city council is committed to making sure we’ve got enough rinks so everyone can have as much ice time as they want and need.

We believe every child in this community should have a chance to learn to skate, be a part of a team and strengthen our family bonds the way only sports can.

We believe our growing all-stars should not have to get up earlier than the crack of dawn just to get a little ice time.

And we are committed to listening to you about the best way to guarantee ice time, court time and pool time for everyone.

A survey that you and your family can fill out is online now until Aug, 23.

Plus, you can join an open house to participate in a respectful discussion about your ideas and goals for the Sportsplex on Aug. 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Brandon’s Community Sportsplex.

More information about this consultation series will be online at Brandon.ca in the coming days.

Your hopes and your worries about our Community Sportsplex matter.

Let’s make decisions together about where we will go from here.

MAYOR JEFF FAWCETT

Brandon