OLDS — Town council is expected to look again on Monday, Dec. 13 at the possibility of putting at least $112,000 worth of improvements to the Sportsplex on hold, as part of a study of its proposed interim budget.
The 2022-23 budget is expected to be hammered out in April.
The improvements up for potential shelving include $10,000 to upgrade sound in the main area, $55,000 to paint the main floor, $12,000 for a play centre and $35,000 for a score clock.
Council voted to accept a report on costs for those proposed improvements as information, pending the Dec. 13 meeting.
Two items that did not receive any objection were $40,000 for an air handling unit and $27,000 for a compressor overhaul.
Finance director Sheena Linderman said the current Sportsplex air handling unit is vintage 1981 and needs to be replaced. She said the plan is to do so with a new high-efficiency unit.
She noted the town plans to apply for a grant to cover the cost of the work but that “it does need to be replaced, regardless of this grant application.”
Linderman said the compressor needs to be overhauled after 900 hours of running time.
“We do it approximately every three years at the Sportsplex,” she said.
The proposed sound upgrade would involve installing four speakers over the ice to allow better sound for hockey, figure skating, lacrosse and other uses.
Coun. Heather Ryan suggested holding off on spending the money – for now – on the floor painting, play centre and the score clock.
She noted that the recent Mountain View Regional Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan, received by council last month, called for improvements to the Sportsplex to make it more accessible to citizens.
“I’m just talking about parking these items until we get a better idea of where we want to progress and what the priorities are,” Ryan said.
“Rather than just spending money on a score clock, I’d rather see a better way of having the front doors accessible to people who are in wheelchairs.
“I think the priorities are a little bit off and I just think we need to make sure that the money we have, that we’re spending it in the right spot, that’s all.”
Chief administrative officer Michael Merritt said the sound system in the Sportsplex is “not the best.”
He also pointed out that that it may be many years before the Sportsplex is replaced or an add-on is constructed there, so it would be wise to keep maintaining the facility in the meantime.
Ryan said she understood that; hence the agreement to proceed with the compressor and air handling work.
She said those projects would be funded via Municipal Sustainability initiative (MSI) grants from the provincial government.
“(That funding) isn’t going to disappear just because we take it off the list. It’ll still be there,” she said. In fact, when we get to the bottom line, we may have more money available – that's my feeling.”
Mayor Judy Dahl agreed with those thoughts.
Coun. James Cummings said he had not had a chance to read the entire master plan but he did see issues like sound and lighting listed in it.
Coun. Darren Wilson pointed out the master plan report also called for improvements to dressing room facilities.
He said he’d also been told there’s a need for improvements to change rooms and washrooms for female users.
