City Council is delaying discussions for a potential multi-plex design until later this month. (Matt Ryan/meadowlakeNOW)

By meadowlakeNOW Staff

Information needed

Planning for arena delayed as Meadow Lake awaits government decision

Jun 15, 2022 | 5:03 PM

Meadow Lake City Council has postponed a discussion on design methodology for a possible multi-plex.

Brought forward by administration on Monday to create governance framework for the facility that will replace the old arena, Mayor Merlin Seymour and the other councilors voted to push the conversation two more weeks.

He told meadowlakeNOW that after some back-and-forth asked for some answers on comparisons and for everyone to come back to council with more information.

“I challenged everyone to do a little more research so that everyone is fully aware of what’s in front of us,” Seymour said.

City staff had met with Colliers project leaders to assist in determining which methodology would be most suited for Meadow Lake. Cost is the primary factor in consideration, along with long-lasting infrastructure. Administration suggested a design-build methodology with an end date of August 2024.

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One of the reasons the mayor pointed to for the delay is that that the city hasn’t heard from the Government of Canada in regards to their grant application. Since applying for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program in November, the province has approved and forwarded their bid, but it now requires federal approval.

Seymour said that without government funding coming to the project, the city won’t build a multi-plex due to the high cost of the project. Back when the project was announced last fall, council agreed to put $15 million toward the $34-million total, $9 million of which would come from the former arena’s insurance policy.

“If we don’t get our application approved, we will only be doing the arena,” he said.

Seymour did note that it is important for administration to move forward in planning for the project, in order speed up the date at which shovels could break ground. Even once construction is underway on a new facility, residents will still have a long wait until use.

“Once we do hear (hopefully) that we’ve received our grant [funding], we will have most of our pre-work already started, rather than waiting and waiting,” Seymour said. “We’re just trying to have things ready to go if we hear something soon.”

As far as other details on potential facility design, Seymour reiterated that any specific points are moot until the discussion picks up again.

“We have an idea from our original plan, but until we get notification one way or the other, we’re just trying to get things ready to go,” he said.

The next council meeting in Meadow Lake is June 27.

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On Twitter: @meadowlakeNOW