City council voted to complete phase two of the Plainsmen Arena but put other phases on hold after City staff found leaking Freon and brine, an inadequate underground tie structure and other structural problems with the building, May 2.
Phase two will include a new ice surface, refrigeration plant, seating, boards, boxes and netting and will cost about $3.49 million.
A new lobby, changerooms and washrooms have been excluded from the project. Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding will cover about $3.37 million, leaving the City with a shortfall of $124,000.
The original renovation was estimated at $1.5 million and then raised to $4.95 million due to an increase in electrical and mechanical costs, increased ice plant costs, additional safety and security upgrades, site utility upgrades, asbestos removal and additional screening and erosion control.
“The system is leaking, there is a major leak of Freon and brine and the ground water is seeping into the foundation,” said Rob McLean, director of the City’s corporate properties department.
“The ice surfaces are not level and they have moved over time with erosion or settlement. The boards and players boxes have shifted so they have a noticeable slope.”
Council rejected the $4.95-million option and chose to scale back to the $3.49-million choice.
“I’m having trouble understanding why we would spend so much money on something that is so deficient,” said Alderman Glenda Alexander.
“Should we look at spending the money on something brand new instead? I know we are a hockey town but I have trouble spending this much money on something that can’t be guaranteed for the long-term. In my opinion, this building is shot.”
Alderman Allan Hunter, who works in operations and project management, agreed with Alexander.
“I would call the building a catastrophic failure,” he said.
“I do this for a living and the place is a disaster. I am looking at this and thinking, ‘How did we get to this point?’ I don’t see any value in putting $5 million into something that is ready for the wrecking ball. If this were a property I was overseeing, I would shut it down immediately. What are we going to do as far as environmental clean up?”
McLean said the range of estimates to ensure the facility is functional for another 25 years would be between $6.5 million and $8.5 million. He said the estimate to build a new facility would be between $14.5 million and $18 million. Choosing not to continue renovations or shut down the building would leave more than 2,000 users without ice space for about two years until phase three of Genesis Place is completed.
Mayor Peter Brown said he was nauseated when he read the report.
“There is no way we can turn the tap off and leave all the ice users without a place to go,” he said.
“We need a facility because we have provided that in the past.”
Alderman Murray Buchanan said he feels $3.5 million is a sound investment in the building.
“If we get 10 years at $3.5 million, that’s one heck of an investment,” he said.
The ice surface is expected to be completed by the opening of the 2011-12 skating season. Council approved a motion for the Finance Advisory Committee to determine a source of funding for the $124,000.
Hunter was the only alderman opposed to the motion.
