Photo by B. Shakyaver
A hefty price tag of nearly half a million dollars is what’s needed to bring the Stephen Arena up to code compliance – that’s according to an architectural report presented to South Huron Council on Monday (June 17th).
This is in spite of the fact that recent upgrades conducted by the Municipality at the Stephen Arena clocked in in excess of $2.3 million, with upgrades to the ice surface, bleacher system, and accessibility of the facility.
The report by architect Robert Ritz through collaboration with Chief Building Official Mike Rolph indicated that in order to expand the use cases for the facility, an upgraded sprinkler system (estimated at $296,000), HVAC system (between $150,000 and $165,000), and makeup air unit in the dressing rooms (approximately $27,000) would be required to allow community events and other sporting events to take place on the ice surface.
The high ticket price had councillors on guard, but Councillor Wendy McLeod-Haggit hinted that she was open to discussing the investment.
Rolph indicated that the decision to approach the investment would be council’s.
The current classification of the arena allows for limited uses – as indicated by Councillor Marissa Vaughan.
Council members considered the possibility of repurposing the facility for broader community events such as exhibition halls, dance halls, and community gatherings. The architect’s report highlighted that any such change would necessitate significant upgrades.
Deputy Mayor Jim Dietrich and Councillors Milt Dietrich, and Ted Oke discussed the feasibility of hosting pickleball, a sport with growing popularity. Architect Robert Ritz pointed out challenges related to ceiling height and the need for unobstructed travel paths to exits, and was hesitant to say that he would reccomend that use.
Ritz emphasized that the building’s non-compliance with current code standards poses risks if used for high-occupancy events (which some would consider pickleball to be)- and that hosting events with higher capacities would require strict adherence to safety regulations, especially regarding fire hazards and evacuation routes.
Ultimately, council decided to receive the report for information – at this time any further action would depend on council’s willingness to allocate budget for the necessary upgrades.
Written by: B. Shakyaver