City admin recommends replacing Sportsplex ice plant

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This article was published 18/09/2023 (898 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The fate of the Sportsplex arena will come into sharper focus during tonight’s city council meeting, where recreation manager Heather Reimer is scheduled to present the results of a needs assessment.

According to the meeting’s agenda, Reimer and her team are recommending that council release a request for proposals for the design of a new Sportsplex ice plant.

The Sportsplex hasn’t been able to host indoor skating activities since March 2 due to the current ammonia ice plant suffering major mechanical failure.

In the months that followed, the city eventually came up with two options for reinstating this facility: either spearhead a full replacement of the ice plant or commit to repairing the malfunctioning unit.

Reimer’s team is advising that city council approve the former strategy, since conducting $359,809 worth of repairs on this outdated machinery would only extend the ice plant’s life to September 2025.

“Proposed repairs do not include the replacement of the deteriorating board system or any aesthetic improvements,” the agenda reads. “A secondary shut down would be required to bring the ice plant up to Class-T requirements.”

A full replacement of the ice plant, on the other hand, would result in a lifespan of up to 25 years and a limited interruption to services overall.

If the request for design proposals was initiated immediately, Reimer estimates that a bid for contract services could be released in early 2024, with the project being completed by the end of that year.

Reimer and her team are also recommending that council expend $300,000 from the Sportsplex reserve to get the ball rolling on this project.

The total price tag for this Sportsplex revitalization project, which includes improvements to the arena beyond the ice plant, is an estimated $4 million.

Talking to the Sun on Saturday, Coun. Glen Parker (Ward 9) told the Sun he was in favour of the recommendation being put forward by city officials, stressing the importance of properly maintaining Brandon’s only city-owned indoor skating surface for the long term.

“A repair would only last so long and be certified for so long and we would have to look at doing a replacement anyway,” Parker said over the phone. “So it doesn’t seem like that’d be a very wise use of money.”

In terms of where the money for this revitalization project would come from, if approved, Parker said nothing has been finalized at this point, although he isn’t counting out the possibility of seeking help outside city limits.

“Obviously we would always seek participation from other levels of government if it’s something that’s possible, whether it’s through grants or different programs that may come about,” he said.

“But ultimately, it’s a city property and if there’s no other help available it would be the city that would have to foot the bill when time comes.”

While a lot of details on this process still need to be ironed out, Coun. Heather Karrouze (Ward 1) was happy to hear that council is now in a position to provide the public with some clarity about the future of the Sportsplex.

After all, the closure of this facility back in March had a disruptive impact on the local sports community, forcing groups like the Westman Speed Skating Club and the Assiniboine Community College women’s hockey team to scramble for ice time at the Keystone Centre or the J&G Homes Arena.

“I think that the whole community will be happy to know that there is [a] plan that will move us forward, residents and city council both,” Karrouze wrote in an email on Saturday.

Additionally, the city has conducted public outreach throughout the summer, including an open house that took place at the Sportsplex on Aug. 16.

While attendees were presented with several options on how to proceed — like replacing the rink with a hard court, indoor turf or a hybrid of both — most visitors at the meeting were in favour of repairing or replacing the ice plant.

Karrouze hopes that tonight’s meeting will show that the city took that public engagement very seriously.

“I am looking forward to learning the results of the needs assessment study conducted to determine the community’s wishes regarding future plans for the Sportsplex,” she wrote.

The Sportsplex originally opened its doors in 1979 to serve as a venue for that year’s Canada Winter Games.

Outside of the ice rink, this facility also features a swimming pool, racquetball courts and track and field facilities.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com