Alnwick Haldimand Council Approves Winning Bid for Arena Construction Project in Grafton

Pete Fisher
3 hours ago
• Categories: City Hall, Local

The contract to oversee critical repairs at the Haldimand Community Memorial Arena in Grafton, with an expected price tag around $3.75 million, has been awarded to Barry Bryan Associates.

At its regular meeting Tuesday morning, Alnwick Haldimand Township council authorized the mayor and clerk to enter into an agreement with the architectural and engineering firm in the amount of $78,000 plus HST.

Barry Bryan Associates received the highest score after the RFP submissions were received and was the third cheapest out of four bids. The highest was more than $102,000 and the lowest $49,300.

Ice facility experience from the firm includes replacement of ice pads and associated piping and/or refrigeration systems, dasher board replacements, accessible design of recreation ice sport facilities, dressing room/washroom improvements, accessory space renovations, designs for new accessibility upgrades including accessible spectator seating and view areas, header trench repair/restoration/replacement, building envelope upgrades, roof repairs/replacements, lighting upgrades, HVAC system retrofits and the design and review of more than 60 high quality and successful ice pads across Ontario.

Examples include the Niagara Falls Gale Centre, Invista Centre in Kingston, Benson Centre in Cornwall, Pad 2 at the Garnet B. Rickard Complex in Clarington, Campus Ice Centre at Durham College/UOIT and more.

Once the agreement is in place, preliminary work is expected to begin early in the new year with the project to be fully completed by the end of September.

Required work at the Grafton arena includes the removal and disposing of existing dasher boards, netting, existing concrete rink floor and sub-floor insulation; removal and disposal of up to 24’’ of existing native soil; supply, install, level and compact granular fill and clean sand (to level new pad); supply and install two 2’’ layers of subfloor insulation c/w vapour barrier; supply and install new 6’’ thick reinforced concrete rink floor; repair header trench wall; furnish and install new dasher boards and safety netting; and a number of refrigeration repairs.

Councillor Mary Catherine O’Neill raised concerns once again about how the township will fund the entire project.

CAO Dave Dawson said information had already been brought forward to council at previous meetings.
Councillor Mike Ainsworth reiterated staff have found ways to pay for the project up front, including through financing while development charges are another option, and there is a fundraising committee in place to pay back the money.

“I’m still waiting to see how that plays out for us in budget,” O’Neill said, adding the only report received outlined borrowing money as the only option.

She said financing the project over 20 years as suggested by the mayor would result in a 3.45% dedicated increase to the municipal budget for 2026 on top of an 11% increase for policing (OPP).

“That’s on top of our cost of living and wage increases, that’s on top of addressing the road repairs and everything else,” O’Neill said. “If we’re looking at that, how big of a budget increase are we willing as council to accept coming forward in the budget. Every year to this point we’ve been at six per cent. Are we saying ‘yeah we’re good with 9.5 per cent this year?’”

O’Neill noted she wanted to know the full cost council is asking taxpayers to fund before a decision was made.

Ainsworth said he understood O’Neill’s concern, but noted the municipality may not need to borrow the full amount up front as there are other funding avenues available.

“It’s all out there what we’re doing,” he said, adding staff will do the work to come up with the required funding. “And let the fundraising committee do their job.”

Mayor John Logel said the sale of surplus land is another option to help finance the arena project. He also said it’s imperative to get the firm in place and the project moving if there’s any hope to get grant funding from the province.

“You’re not going to get a commitment from the province unless you’ve got a plan and are working towards that and you can’t start without doing this basic work,” Logel said.

O’Neill said she wouldn’t be in support until seeing the funding plan.

In the end, the motion was approved by the rest of council.

Previous story: https://todaysnorthumberland.ca/2025/11/13/alnwick-haldimand-staff-can-proceed-with-rfp-for-grafton-arena-repairs-project/