Improvements at arenas across Chatham-Kent will be moving forward.
On April 4, councillors voted unanimously in favour of the $1,218,220 arena lifecycle projects as well as an arena feasibility study for 2022.
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Arenas across Chatham-Kent could be getting some new upgrades this year.
Municipal councillors will consider a staff report Monday that recommends $1,218,220 of upgrades at several arenas across the municipality.
The arenas in Chatham-Kent range in age, however, all of them are several decades old. The municipality’s oldest arena is Wallaceburg Memorial, which was built in 1948. Chatham Memorial Arena was constructed a year later.
Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre in Dresden, which went up in 1982, is up for the most renovations. The report is recommending renovating the front of the arena, painting the exterior, replacing the hall HVAC unit, replacing the ice rink boards, washroom upgrades, lobby ceiling replacement, a variable frequency drive for the brine pump, and an electric ice edger.
Several upgrades are also being recommended for the Wallaceburg arena including lower roof repairs in several areas, a structural inspection, a new frame and door for dressing room one, and repairs to the ice resurfacer doors.
The report also recommends an arena feasibility study, which will help determine the current and future needs of arenas in Chatham-Kent.
If council goes ahead with the repairs, they will be funded through the Arena Capital Asset Lifecycle Reserve and there would be $554, 744 remaining in the reserve. The balance remaining in the Arena Capital Asset Lifecycle Reserve at the end of 2022 will remain in the lifecycle budget for future projects.