Nicolle Hodges | [email protected]
The only thing worse than walking on thin ice is trying to skate on it.
This week, Jasper Municipal Council voted in favour of spending $1.47 million to revitalize the arena by replacing the floor slab and boards, ensuring that residents and visitors will be able to play hockey and skate without interruption for years to come.
The decision to upgrade is strategic from a risk aversion and an economic standpoint, as well as an understanding that the arena serves as a necessary community glue.
The general sentiment among council members was that a decision had to be made now or time would ultimately decide the arena’s fate.
Chief administrative officer Mark Fercho presented a breakdown of the $1.47 million price tag and explained how that number would only increase as time went on.
However, there was a palpable shift in the room once the discussion transitioned from cost to safety.
Peter Bridge, manager of the rink for 27 years and head icemaker for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explained that the boards are rotten, stiff, and dangerous; the floors are in bad shape too.
Delaying the decision any longer would not only incur greater replacement costs but tempt inevitable safety issues.
“The current boards are 25 years old and the last ones lasted 33 years,” he said.
“The new boards are made of metal and plastic instead of wood and will last up to 50 years.”
When the boards and floor were first done in the mid-90s, the cost was $760,000.
Decades later - and taking Fercho’s inflation predictions into consideration - spending $1.47 million to overhaul the flooring now, which subsequently affects the safety and quality of the ice, makes sense.
This isn’t about a full-blown facelift of the building but taking care of the foundational issues to ensure the long-term vitality of the arena.
You might not even notice that the ice beneath your skates is any different, but it will be.
“We all have the same goals,” said councillor Jenna McGrath at the beginning of the meeting.
“We need to find a solution that finds the right answer for the town without unnecessary spending or beautifying an already functional space.
“Is this about function and safety, or about aesthetics? Understanding the full picture is important.”
It turns out the full picture is about function and safety - and that was worth an affirmative vote.
While incorporating a plan for a full modernization of the arena is something that the council might look to address in the future, the first step towards creating a lasting facility began today with the floor slab and boards.
A building is, after all, only as good as its foundation.
