Arena Finally Opens

It's at least 12 months behind schedule, but Royal LePage Place is finally open.

The 1,500 arena on the Westside is one of a number of venues hosting games for the Western Canada Ball Hockey Championship this weekend.

The first game will be played Friday night.

The arena was supposed to open last September, in time for the inaugural Westside Warriors season.

However, a number of delays bogged down construction of the facility.

While the doors are open, the arena is not quite finished. People attending the ball hockey championship this weekend will have to sit on concrete bleachers on one side of the facility.

Individual seats remain boxed up on the opposite side of the arena. The new sound system won't be in place either.

Both are expected to be installed in early August.

The new score clock, players benches and penalty boxes are all in place.

The arena should be fully functional in time for the Jonathon Neitsch benefit hockey game August 19.