Saanich is playing the waiting game after council approved a grant application to improve parts of Pearkes Recreation Centre, including one of four hockey rinks in the district.
The application for $7.26 million dollars from a joint federal-provincial program would help fund 73 per cent of proposed improvements to the centre. Saanich plans to spend $2.65 million.
If authorities approve the grant, Saanich would not only be able to replace the ice slab and snow pit of Gold Arena B次元官网网址� the name of the the original rink that opened in 1968 B次元官网网址� it could also improve other parts of the centre, which isnB次元官网网址檛 in the current budget, said Graham Thomson, centre manager.
Saanich would have the opportunity to rehabilitate and improve the centre sooner than proposed in the , said Thomson.
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The facilities report identifies Pearkes Recreation Centre as a medium priority. Service delivery appears B次元官网网址渕anageableB次元官网网址� over next four to seven years under this status. B次元官网网址淐apacity issues may be critical requiring attention within [eight to] 15 years,B次元官网网址� it reads.
Thomson said Saanich would also get more for its buck if funding authorities approved the grant. B次元官网网址淭he funding would allow for more improvements to the centre with nearly the same amount it would cost to replace the slab and the snow pit,B次元官网网址� he said.
Should Saanich not receive the grant money, it would replace only the ice slab and snow pit of Gold Arena.
Kelli-Ann Armstrong, SaanichB次元官网网址檚 senior manager of recreation, said it is an B次元官网网址渁nomalyB次元官网网址� for the rink to have operated for 50-plus years.
B次元官网网址淭his longevity cannot be counted as the norm, or as best practices,B次元官网网址� she said.
Thomson said it is too early to discuss potential disruptions because Saanich currently lacks a construction schedule. B次元官网网址淓ven with grant funding, which would give us the opportunity for a planned closure, the earliest we would proceed with construction would be spring [or] summer 2020,B次元官网网址� he said.
He said staff will work with regional partners on mitigation plans in advance of construction and engage with users to minimize the impact, adding PearkesB次元官网网址� Green Arena would remain open during construction.
Plans for a third rink at Pearkes, however, remain unrealized, and at least one Saanich Minor Hockey Association (SMHA) officials has already raised concerns about the potential effects of closing down Gold Arena.
B次元官网网址淲ithout an alternative rink, when the Gold rink goes down, the association goes down,B次元官网网址� said SMHA president David Horricks earlier. B次元官网网址淲e have to get that message to the council. Saanich Minor Hockey would close, you canB次元官网网址檛 run it with one rink, itB次元官网网址檚 impossible. You need a certain threshold of kids in order to populate all the age groups.B次元官网网址�
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