By Cecilia Nasmith/Northumberland 89.7 FM/Today’s Northumberland
Jonathan Hack of Sierra Planning and Consulting gave what he termed a mid-point project report to Alnwick-Haldimand Township council Tuesday on the needs assessment for the existing arena and grounds.
Last fall’s threatened closure of the aging Haldimand Community Memorial Arena led council to look ahead and find answers to such questions as what level of capital investment is appropriate in light of an evolving community’s current and future needs.
“Do you need this arena? Do you need to do anything? Can you let it die a natural death through age?” Hack said.
“The short answer is no. You need the ice surface in that building.”
This brings the need to face up to what that entails – the condition of the slabs, pipes and boards, for example – and what must be done today vs. what can be put off down the road without endangering its long-term viability.
Then there’s the entire arena property, Hack added, with its cenotaph entrance, four ball diamonds, accessible paved recreational trail, playground, fitness station and picnic area.
“It’s a real gem in terms of what you have and what you could potentially do if you had all the resources available,” he said.
“We need to make sure we protect and enhance the things that need to be enhanced.”
Helping with these determinations is the consultation done last month. There were 30 in attendance at a public meeting, and 284 responses to their on-line survey.
“That’s enough to give you a representative figure,” Hack declared.
Feedback included a number of suggestions for future outdoor amenities, though there’s not enough land for all the suggestions.
And for the future of the arena, he added, there’s strong support for a multi-use community centre.
“The upstairs community room is a product of the 1950s. You need more, you need something which will be multi-programmable. The community centres you have work, but they are also aged as well.”
Looking ahead, there’s the long-term question of whether a new building is necessary. This will affect not only the cost but what changes can be made to the present building in the interim that would still enable it to serve the community in the present day.
A lot of the questions will be answered in the report they hope to present to council April 8.
Councillor Mary Catherine O’Neill questioned whether retaining the ice can be supported, asking if a business plan could be made on whether users can cover that cost.
“You are in the business of providing ice to your community. Operating costs is a deficit in every municipality in the province,” Hack stated.
