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Vernon  

Saving the Civic

She's an old lady at 81, but City of Vernon staff are looking into ways to save the Civic Arena.

The ice sheet will be decommissioned once the new multiplex building is operational in September 2018.

“Administration has been researching options for obtaining a detailed cost estimate for the refurbishment of the Civic Arena as a simple shell facility,” said a note to city council this week.

The so-called shell could be used for a public market, a cultural facility and a dry sports/recreational facility, staff suggest.

However, it all depends on the cost.

“I don't know what's going to happen to it,” said Mayor Akbal Mund. “I've made up my mind depending on money.”

Mund said council had to be realistic about costs.

“If the Civic Arena is going to cost over $5-7 million to bring it back up (to the B.C. building code) you've got go, 'OK, what are we going to use it for?' If we're going to use it for a sports facility, it is easy to put up a four-walled building. It's a lot cheaper, with newer plumbing and heating and electrical rather than keep that.”

Mund said he was in favour of keeping the Civic standing, but it depended on the price.

“If the costs come back and it is $2 million, I would say 'keep it, let's fix it up, it's affordable.'”

Options and costs will be presented to council in a report in May.



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