Meadow Lake City Council held an unscheduled meeting on Thursday evening to discuss the city's approach to replacing the devastated Meadow Lake & District Arena. (Elliott Knopp/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Elliott Knopp

Arena Discussions

City of Meadow Lake addresses plans surrounding Meadow Lake & District Arena fire

Jun 11, 2021 | 4:00 PM

Meadow Lake City Council has provided answers to some of the concerns raised by residents and organizations in the community regarding the Meadow Lake and District Arena fire.

In a media release, the city stated the 45-year-old community hub and city property was covered by insurance, but any property from third-party users has been excluded from coverage. A majority of the items in the arena, including memorabilia, were destroyed in the blaze. However, six jerseys from the front lobby area were recovered and are in the process of being cleaned and restored. The city is hoping to work with sponsors and players on replacing some of the memorabilia.

A new arena is expected to be built as soon as possible, but the city expects the replacement to take at least two years to complete. The plan is to use the current situation as an opportunity to create a multi-use facility rather than just an arena.

Mayor Merlin Seymour stated this option has been in resident’s minds for several years, and having a multi-use facility could address other community needs.

“There’s been discussions over the past few years. Whether there’s an indoor soccer field, a running track, extra courts or whatever the case may be, we’re taking all of that information and we’re going to see where we can go from here.”

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The city also mentioned it plans to gather feedback from community organizations and residents on the facility’s new design, but the process to submit input hasn’t been finalized.

The loss of the ice surface has resulted in organizations and residents wondering how they will move forward with sports and recreational activities. Seymour explained surrounding communities have contacted the city and said they would make their facilities available to Meadow Lake organizations and residents whenever possible.

“Pineridge Ford Arena out in Flying Dust [First Nation is] going to be picking up a lot of the slack of the non-ice surface in Meadow Lake. There were other outlying communities that reached out to the city as well, so if it comes down to possibly having to travel to Goodsoil, Glaslyn, Makwa Sahgaiehcan, Green Lake, Waterhen Lake or wherever it may be, that might be something participants will have to take advantage of.”

Jace Andersen, President of the Meadow Lake Minor Hockey Association, said last season’s cancellation because of the COVID-19 concerns paired with the arena fire has left the organization with very little idea of what the upcoming season is going to look like.

“Once we hit that third phase of reopening, then we’ll discuss what the league will do, or what we even have for fall hockey,” Andersen said.

The RCMP is still investigating what caused the fire. Authorities have determined that the fire started in the storage building behind the arena before spreading to the arena itself.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is directed to contact the Meadow Lake RCMP at (306) 236-2570 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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elliott.knopp@pttisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp