OLDS — Several improvements are planned or are underway this year for the Sportsplex.
One project is upgrading Dressing Room 9.
During a presentation to town council, community services director Doug Wagstaff described it as “the small, ad hoc dressing room that we had been using for an individual or two females that might need somewhere to change.”
Wagstaff said that room didn’t include washroom facilities, so that will be part of the improvements.
Tiles in the Grizzlys locker room will be redone too because they were “starting to create some issues behind the wall itself,” Wagstaff said.
Priorities in the future include a $120,000 evaluation of the 43-year-old Sportsplex, with a view to renovating or replacing it, whichever makes the most sense.
Another goal is to renovate dressing rooms 3 and 4 as well as possible improvements to the facility’s sign.
Wagstaff noted that LiveBarn has been installed at the Sportsplex.
It provides Live and on demand online broadcasts of amateur and youth sports from venues across Canada and the United States.
“There was a bit of a delay there,” he said. “LiveBarn themselves, in December and January, their company had COVID run through it.
“We had anticipated having this up in January and that was delayed. Then there was a supply chain bit of a delay.”
Wagstaff said at one point, parts were sitting in an office as staff awaited one more “critical technical piece.”
Finally that arrived and workers were able to install and test it, just in time for a major tournament.
“I think it’s going to be very popular with our minor hockey next season,” Wagstaff said.
He said one of the challenges year to year is staff turnover.
Some staff members leave for vacancies elsewhere in the Town such as in operations or public works.
“That still seems to be a feeder system for us within the organization,” he said.
