‘Ice for Kids’ upset with arena turmoil

With higher-than-expected bids leaving the second arena project in limbo for now, “Ice for Kids” members are worried people might begin to withdraw their pledges.
“[The delay] upsets us very much,” Les Baker said yesterday morning. “People in the mill have come up to me and have said, ‘They are disappointed that it’s taken too long.’”
When asked if the length of time to get the project started has led to increased costs, Baker responded without hesitation.
“Absolutely. Costs have risen,” he argued. “If you add roughly 10 percent to the total cost for each year it was delayed, you are looking at double the costs.”
He also charged the town spent too much money on various studies over the years.
PennCo Construction of Winnipeg was the lowest of three tenders with a base bid of almost $7.2 million. But that figure may balloon much higher, said one source, estimating the actual cost may be in the $8 million range with the addition of architectural fees and GST.
Council will hold a special meeting May 10 to vote on whether to accept PennCo’s bid.
To make matters worse, it’s also unclear whether the new arena, if it goes ahead, will be ready for the upcoming season as first planned. PennCo had said it would take 51 weeks to build.
“People I talk to are saying it won’t be running by the year 2000 and people may withdraw their pledges and we need every cent,” Baker stressed.
“This may be a lot worse than we think. I would like to [approach] these councillors who have dragged their feet and ask them ‘What’s going on?’
“I’m getting nervous that they might pull the plug and it might be a political squeeze,” he lamented.
Al Smith, also an “Ice for Kids” committee member who helped raise $500,000 towards the project, said that would be devastating to the community.
“I’d be very disappointed. I’ve put in a lot of effort in [the project] and so have a lot of other people–the whole community wants [the new rink],” he remarked.
He also said he can’t fathom how high the new cost has reached. “No, not for one rink, two yes, but it’s not even in the ballpark,” he charged.
Meanwhile, Baker said he already had been in contact with Hockey Canada over staging an exhibition game with Team Canada in conjunction with the grand opening of the second arena this fall.
But he said that’s looking far less likely, and may have to contact them again to cancel any plans.