Discussion around a verbal mayor’s report given at the April 21 city council meeting included points made by Coun. Dan Rye in regard to recreation-related infrastructure.
Rye had mentioned that a recreation master plan had been commissioned and is intended to be complete sometime this year, and the conversation got around to the relative well being of the aging Pioneer Arena as well as a component at the community complex.
The councillor’s point was that a piece of equipment called a chiller, at the complex, is nearing it’s time for replacement.
“The chiller that’s in the complex now is 17 years old,” Rye told assembled media following the meeting.
“They have a life expectancy of about 20 years. Within the next three years we may be looking at replacing that chiller up there anyway.”
Meanwhile, the roughly 30 year-old chiller at the Pioneer arena is worn out. Rye related that it’s been considered that no further upgrades be made to the Pioneer Arena… that when the time comes, to just take it out of commission, however, it could make sense to replace the Pioneer’s chiller at a cost of about $120,000. The unit could be moved to the complex if and when needed.
Being no secret that the historic quonset’s days are numbered, the concept of community complex expansion brings to mind a late 2010 referendum on the question, which was decisively defeated.
The community will let us know what it wants,” said Rye.