Rejoice, local hockey and figure skating fans!
Recent upgrades to the Sundre arena represent a significant improvement for the aging facility.
Council approved a little more than $20,000 to upgrade the spectator viewing area's heating system during its last meeting in June before summer break
“The number one complaint in the arena is how cold the seating area is,” said Ian James, community services manager, during council's June 27 meeting.
So cold, in fact, that it is not entirely uncommon for spectators to bundle up as though getting ready to face the next Ice Age. Even still, many can usually barely stay for a whole period of an entire hockey game, he said.
“We have the opportunity to correct that,” he told council.
James outlined to council the community services department's proposal to replace two old heating systems — a radiant tube system as well as a forced air burner system — with a newer infrared heating system that is more efficient and durable. To boot, unlike the old heater systems, the new infrared system does not create moisture, which represents a serious problem for the facility in terms of the potential for mould and a deteriorated quality of ice as water drips onto the surface and freezes into mini speed bumps that no skater wants to encounter.
He also told the Round Up the upgrades included replacing old halogen and fluorescent lights with new LED units throughout the arena.
Surely that's welcome news to everyone who frequents the arena throughout the skating season. Better spectator heating, reduced moisture (some used to say it felt like it was raining inside the arena at times), improved lighting — these are all steps in the right direction.
But the biggest step — perhaps rather a hurdle even — lies ahead.
The facility is approximately 50 years old. At some point, further renovations will simply be moot — arguably even a waste of funds — as the structure itself will eventually need to be replaced.
“They've already been putting money away,” James told the Round Up Thursday, referring to council setting aside reserves for a future facility.
Whatever the future brings will be the result of community collaboration. The notion of creating a sportsplex that includes an arena, curling rink and perhaps even the pool, has been tossed around, but such an undertaking would most likely require the combined efforts of local organizations from minor hockey and the curling club to the aquatic society and of course the municipality as well.
However, a sportsplex will come with a price tag in the millions of dollars. That would take a long time for the town alone to save up such an amount. Staff are looking for grants that can contribute for infrastructure projects, but those types of grants are limited. Corporate sponsorship is another possibility that will help cover the huge cost of such a facility, but finding a willing sponsor during the downturn is no easy feat, said James.
“We, by ourselves as a town, to justify that kind of expense would be difficult,” he said, adding there are so many other concerns council needs to keep in mind, including basic infrastructure like maintaining roads and underground services.
“Without sponsorship and without grants, it's going to be a ways out,” he said about a future sportsplex.
Until then, “we can't let what we have fall apart.”
At least in the meantime fans will no doubt appreciate being able to catch a full period of hockey without fear of contracting hypothermia.
