The town has formally decided to purchase a new chiller to make ice for both surfaces at the Innisfail Arena.
At town council's Jan. 23 regular meeting, council approved an administration recommendation to spend $161,308 (plus GST) for a new plate and frame chiller on the refrigeration ice plant.
Administration considered four proposals that ranged in price from Calgary's Startec Refrigeration Services Ltd. to a bid of $234,423 from Gateway Mechanical Services.
The aging red rink's chiller broke down last fall, which resulted in the town bringing in a temporary ice plant at a monthly cost of about $7,000 until a permanent unit could be installed. The operation at the blue rink was not affected as it has its own ice making plant.
In this year's budget, the town set aside $300,000 to replace the broken chiller, as well as for needed renovations to the ice plant mechanical room and the replacement of heat exchangers for the subfloor heating system.
The intent was to purchase a modern new chiller that would service both Arena ice surfaces.
"It will service well into the future," said Henry Wong, the town's director of community services, who told council he has had good experiences with similar types of chillers in the past. "The last facility I worked in had a single plate and frame that serviced both ice surfaces. Most rinks that I worked in that had twin sheets had only one chiller.
"I am confident that whatever we install will work and we shouldn't have any problems with it going forward," said Wong. "I would be really, really surprised if we did."
While users of the Arena will be advised of timelines and any potential impacts as they become known, Wong told council installation work for the new chiller will begin in early April and take about 12 to 15 weeks to complete.
Henry Wong, the town's director of community services
"It will service well into the future. I am confident that whatever we install will work and we shouldn't have any problems with it going forward."
