Conceptual rendering of the multiplex proposal from SBL Contractors Ltd. (Supplied image/City of Meadow Lake)

By Elliott Knopp

ML Arena

Meadow Lake applying for significant funding for new arena

Nov 17, 2021 | 5:23 PM

The City of Meadow Lake is applying for funding from the federal government to support the development of a new multiplex facility in the community.

By applying for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) grant, the city takes a major step toward its goal of constructing a new facility as a design and funding plan is required in the application.

Coun. Tom Harrison stated the situation provides a rare opening for the city to construct a facility of this caliber.

“It’s sort of a once in a generational opportunity,” he said.

“We know we’re going to get some funding from insurance. We have an opportunity, as we’ve said in here, to potentially get some significant grants.”

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The grant, if approved, would see the cost of the new community centre be supplemented by the federal government by at least 40 per cent, and the Government of Saskatchewan by a maximum of 33.33 per cent.

During a special council meeting held on Tuesday evening, the city agreed to put $15 million toward the project, which is estimated to run a price tag in the area of $34 million.

A significant portion of the funding from the city would come from the former arena’s $9-million insurance policy.

The claim is estimated to be worth close to the $15-million contribution as the costs associated with building a new facility up to current safety codes would require expansions and more up-to-date utility installations.

“Insurance covers rebuilding a facility to current code,” city manager Diana Burton explained.

“To rebuild what we had to today’s standards is going to cost more than that.”

However, no official numbers with the insurance claim have been confirmed. A figure is expected to become available in the first week of December.

There were also discussions as to whether more money should be included in the application to make the submission more appealing, but this was opted against after Coun. Mauri Young and Coun. Conrad Read mentioned the new long-term care facility is still being funded and has yet to open its doors.

Later in the evening, Parks and Recreation manager Regan Beck brought up the community’s interest in the project, saying there would be plenty of support in developing the new facility, even if the cost was slightly higher.

“I’m fairly confident we’ll be able to close that last $2 million when you think how much pride there is in that arena in this community and how much interest has already been directed our way for people that wanted to support it as well,” Beck said.

Financial figures being submitted by the city in the application are the same figures that would be spent on creating a new hockey arena, not a multiplex, if there wasn’t federal and provincial funding available.

Private investors, partnership funding, fundraising efforts and other alternative sources of revenue that could cover any remaining costs if needed were also discussed should the city find the project over budget.

The design includes an NHL-sized hockey rink, a multi-sport field house, a pleasure rink for leisure and figure skating, an event hall with a 520-person capacity and several other high-profile additions.

Main floor plan of the multiplex proposal from SBL Contractors Ltd. (supplied image/City of Meadow Lake)

Also included in the plan was the option for a future expansion to incorporate a swimming facility should the current one reach the end of its serviceability.

Coun. Read stated with several years still remaining in the life of the current pool, the expansion should not be explored at this time.

“If we got 10 more years life on that pool, maybe it’s 15, maybe it’s 18, I don’t know if we should go in that type of depth for something that may or may not come,” Read said.

The current design for the new facility is still subject to changes depending on how the application is evaluated and other aspects play into the development.

Second floor plan of the multiplex proposal from SBL Contractors Ltd. (supplied image/City of Meadow Lake)

Currently, the city is working to get the application submitted for approval as a “shovel-ready” application for the Jan. 11 intake. If the application is incomplete or not submitted by the deadline, it would take several more months before the application can be reviewed in May.

“If we have to wait until May, there’s not even going to be an arena started next year,” Mayor Merlin Seymour said.

“That’s not the goal. Our goal is to get an arena built for our community.”

To prepare the submission for the deadline, the city also approved adding up to a maximum of $50,000 to the 2022 budget for an architectural fee. This is to allow the city to acquire the necessary permits and approvals to begin construction.

The city is working to obtain letters of support from the Rural Municipality of Meadow Lake, the Northwest School Division, Flying Dust First Nation and Meadow Lake Tribal Council, which would provide an increased chance of the facility receiving funding as the project impacts several communities and demographics.

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elliott.knopp@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp