An arena facility renewal strategy is now in place to guide the City of Thunder Bay into the future with its arena network to ensure it continues to meet the needs of residents, user groups, and the broader region.
Kelvin Jankowski, the City’s manager of capital facilities construction, told The Chronicle-Journal that the City will undertake a community and stakeholder engagement process to shape how arenas are used, what is working well, and where improvements or changes may be needed.
“Thunder Bay’s arenas are an important part of the community, supporting recreational use, minor and competitive sport, and a variety of events,” Jankowski said. “At the same time, many facilities are aging and require significant investment over the coming years.”
The City is inviting residents, user groups, and stakeholders to participate in the engagement process through direct outreach to arena users and partners, by interviews with stakeholders and user groups or by completing an online survey at thunderbay.ca/getinvolved by Friday.
Paper copies of the survey are available at Thunder Bay Public Library branches and at city hall.
“Input gathered through this process will be combined with technical analysis to develop options for the future of Thunder Bay’s arena system,” Jankowski said, adding that these options will be reviewed and refined before an arena facility renewal strategy is presented to city council.
Jankowski says this feedback will also play a role in helping the City shape the long-term direction of the arena system by providing a better understanding of the current and future demand for arena services.
“It will identify priorities for investment and improvement and also explore opportunities to enhance efficiency, access, and user experience,” he said.
