The ice surfaces of both rinks at the Innisfail Twin Arena will soon be shining more brightly.
The move will be pleasing to all sports and skating enthusiasts using both arenas, as well as citizens and professional photographers taking pictures.
Town council has approved an administration recommendation to spend more than $55,000 to complete an ice surface lighting retrofit project for both rinks.
In a report to council at the June 13 regular meeting, Henry Wong, the town's director of community services, said the expense for retrofitting the existing light system was approved in the 2016 budget.
He said both ice surfaces are currently equipped with 40-400W metal halide light fixtures that provide about 20-25 foot-candles of light, a common unit of measurement used to calculate adequate lighting levels of building spaces. Wong said that current lighting level is “well below” what is needed for competitive sports use.
His report to council said the town issued documents for the tendering process that sought the supply and installation of new LED (light-emitting diode) technology, which would meet a desired light level of 70 foot- candles, three times that of the current system.
“These are new LED light fixtures. They basically look like a four-foot fluorescent light fixture but instead of fluorescent tubes it is a strip of LED bulbs, all in a row,” said Wong.
He added the new LED lighting system, which will be installed by Red Deer's Emtech Energy Ltd., will be ready for use in July. The contract to Emtech also calls for the supply of two additional LED light fixtures, one to be installed over the entrance to the Red Arena and the second to be used as a spare.
Meanwhile, town council also approved the $9,181 purchase and installation of a new brine pump and motor bearings for the refrigeration system at the Blue Arena. Council was told the pump failed near the end of the 2015-16 ice skating season.
Although minor repairs and adjustments helped keep the facility operational until the end of the season, a subsequent examination concluded more work and replacements were needed. Council was told funds needed for the new pump are coming out of the Arena Reserve account.
Henry Wong, director of community services
"These are new LED light fixtures. They basically look like a four-foot fluorescent light fixture but instead of fluorescent tubes it is a strip of LED bulbs, all in a row."
