Township of Brock Council proposes to discuss the Sunderland Arena Renovation and Expansion Project with the provincial and federal governments.
The council met on August 14.
In mid-2021, the township was advised it had obtained a Federal/Provincial Grant through ICIP that would partially fund a renovation of the Sunderland Arena. The original scope of the project proposed included the following at a cost estimate of $7.4 million.
The council said next steps will also include:
- Undertake a user group survey to walk through the project to ensure everyone is aware of where de-scope options might be possible and explain the impacts any decisions may have on other parts of the facility.
- Hire a consultant to prepare and release an RFP for the preferred Project Management Services.
- Hire a Project Manager to lead the balance of the.
- Establish an Arena Sub-Committee consisting of the following members: Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chair of Parks and Recreation Department, Chief Administrative Officer, Public Works Director, Manager of Facilities, and Director of Finance.
In July, the council was scheduled to receive a report that covered off-arena condition assessments, long-term costs associated with capital asset maintenance of the facilities, along with the proposed renovation of the Sunderland Arena.
Works under the $7.4 million budget had included:
- Undertaking works to make the building fully accessible and to accommodate sledge hockey;
- Expansion of the building to include: 6 new dressing rooms (which includes 2 accessible), community use room, storage and ice resurfacer room;
- Replacement of concrete pad, expansion of ice surface to regulation size, updated refrigeration system, and reconfigured seating around the rink;
- Renovation of existing lobby area and dressing rooms to create a larger lobby and new food booth;
- Renovation of the second-floor auditorium to create a heated viewing space.
Major cost escalations due to Covid, inflation and a more detailed review of project scope have resulted in the township needing to have a closer look at both budget and priorities. The time to complete this work is forecasted at 12-18 months and the hope is this project will proceed in 2024, said a township statement.
No decisions regarding the scope have been made at this point. Step 1 will be the review of the proposed budget and discussions around financing, it added.