Work to pick up on arena project

Project manager Brian Avis was expecting some “strong advances” this week on the new arena, with all construction material now on site or on order.
Crews will be focusing on exterior cladding, interior work, and mechanical work, Avis said in his regular report to council Monday night.
The staircases leading up to the second deck in the new arena are now in place, he added, and this week should see the start of the piping for the new sprinkler system.
“The upper deck probably will not be laid this week as it is still kind of open,” Avis noted. “Very soon, we will start looking at opening the auditorium on the second level [of the existing arena].”
Avis, who met with the contractor and architects Jan. 6 along with Community Services manager George Bell, said the holiday season and cold weather slowed down work on the exterior a little in the last month but that “reasonable progress” was made.
“I think we’re around 54.9 [percent] at this stage,” he told council. “It is reasonable contractors and myself spend more time in meetings on expediting things and schedules.
“We are still assured that the [mid]-May completion date is still achievable,” he stressed.
“When you say the overall project will be completed by mid-May, does that mean the parking lot and landscaping will be completed?” asked Coun. Sharon Tibbs.
“Certainly the parking lots will be done,” Avis replied. “The landscaping depends on the weather. But certainly, the intent is the contractor will be off the site.”
Avis also said he’s asked the architects and contractor to cost out the replacement of the front windows of the existing arena, both for upgrading purposes and appearance.
Council still has to approve such a change, he noted, which he’ll bring forward once the information is available.
“Probably by next month, I can give you a complete rundown as to where we sit financially,” he said.
Mayor Glenn Witherspoon noted some concerns had been raised on roof drains recently, and wondered if they had been addressed.
Avis clarified it’s only the drain on the roof of the pool that needs to brought up to code, and diverted so it drains into the storm sewer system.
He and the contractor have received one estimate so far on how to fix the problem but “the cost to do that in our eyes is exorbitant so we’ve gone back to people get a new price,” Avis noted.
With the mid-May completion date looking favourable, Avis said it would be “timely” to bring council, “Ice for Kids,” and the Borderland Figure Skating Club through the construction area once the second level is in–and implied that would be fairly soon.
“There was no reason from the contractor or the architects as to a reason why [there would be a delay],” he stressed. “The overall completion date is still into mid-May.”