NORTH BATTLEFORD - The Access Communications Centre is rapidly showing its age, and is in need of millions of dollars of repairs in the next three years just to keep going.
That was the takeaway at Monday’s Planning Committee meeting in North Battleford, when council members received a structural assessment report on the venue.
A report from Bar Engineering was received by the city Sept. 7, and the highlights were presented to Planning Committee by Director of Engineering James Johansen.
“Basically we feel that we need $5.4 million over a three-year period of time to fix up the Access Centre,” said Johansen.
Among the more costly items identified were the following:
There are structural issues with the foundation, with a cost of $400,000 to install a drainage system and $400,000 to repair damaged or spalling foundation concrete.
$500,000 is the estimate for remediating vermiculite insulation in the walls which has asbestos, and another $500,000 for structural restoration of the exterior block walls that have to be restored.
The arena roof membrane will need to be replaced, for a cost of $1 million.
There is also the need, though not yet critical, for a new exterior facade and wall envelope, costing $1.2 million.
Adding it together, including the other smaller expenses identified, the total is $5.42 million through 2026.
Johansen emphasized this is work that “needs to be done,” if they want to extend the life of the building beyond three or four years, up to 2038.
As for how the work would get done, it is not expected it would cause any major disruption to the Access Communication Centre’s regular events such as hockey. The plan would be for the big-money work to be done in the summer months when the building is quiet.
As well, these estimates are considered conservative. For one, they do not address accessibility items such as a lift to the upper floors. Johansen also indicated there will be a need for a new ice plant at some point.
The general consensus that emerged from council was they should go ahead with the work that is deemed necessary to be done, but there were other questions they also wanted answers to.
In particular, the structural assessment report underscored the urgency for council to make decisions on the long-term future of Access Communications Centre, which was built in the early 1960s.
“Obviously, as a council we need to make decisions on this facility very soon,” said Mayor David Gillan.
There was a desire expressed at council to know what the separate business cases were for either going with renovations, versus building a new arena.
Gillan made the point later the choice was between “are we buying 20 years and what’s the cost, versus are we now saying we need to get something built within five years, and what’s the cost of that just to get to five more years.”
Councillor Kelli Hawtin pointed out that the last time there was a structural report on the facility it was in 2014, and she pointed out they had invested in structural repairs to “get this building’s lifespan to 2030.”
“We keep kind of looking more and more at investing more and more. At what point do we look at a business plan of an asset that’s aging, and an asset we need to plan for replacement of, just like anything else in the City,” said Hawtin. “Is this the right plan? It might be, but without seeing those two business cases side-by-side it’s difficult to keep nickel and diming.”
Councillor Bill Ironstand also wanted to see two business plans presented, but also pointed out that with historically cost overruns, “we’re probably, let’s be realistic, looking at $8 to $10 million” for the renovations.
“Where do we draw the number, the line in the sand, where we say no, it can’t be done?… We do need to figure out what we’re going to do with this facility. It’s had a good run.”
While Councillor Greg Lightfoot echoed the call to see competing business cases, he felt the city had no choice but to go ahead with renos, because “if we let this building rot any more over the next five years or three years, we won’t have a building to play in for the next 10, possibly.”
Lightfoot voiced distaste at the prospect of local teams having to go to Saskatoon or Meadow Lake , and he echoed the sentiments expressed by Director of Leisure Services Cheryl DeNeire who made it known her priorities were to “find a way to maintain hockey up to five years, regardless of what we do.”
“We’re between a rock and a hard spot, so I think we have to do it,” said Lightfoot.
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