INVISTA CENTRE PROJECT ARCHIVE:
New Uses For Older Arenas: Background/Fact Sheet
In January 2004, a consulting report to the City recommended that the city's older arenas be decommissioned as ice facilities and that no further repairs be undertaken. The City of Kingston will be building a new four-pad Multiplex Community Centre, which will host local hockey teams and other ice users. This leaves open the possibility of making these older arenas available for a variety of community uses.
CONCEPT OF A MULTI-PURPOSE COMMUNITY HUB
Among other ideas for these older arenas, some community groups have been actively exploring the concept of basing a community hub at one of these arenas. The approach involves using neighbourhood facilities, such as an arena, to provide access to a variety of programs and services in education, health, social services, arts, culture and recreation, information or other services. A neighbourhood hub would be expected to improve access to services and help build community, bringing people together to create new conversations and activities.
BACKGROUND: STRUCTURAL ISSUES AT THE THREE ARENAS
The arenas in question were built four decades ago as neighbourhood youth centres. Harold Harvey is 45 years old; Cook Brothers and Wally Elmer are 38.
- In a survey completed as part of the 2004 consulting report by dmA Planning, users of the Cook Brothers and Wally Elmer arenas rated every category of these facilities as "Unsatisfactory. " Harold Harvey wasn't much better -- in two categories, it barely earned average ratings: for the main entrance and existing dressing rooms.
- All three arenas are not fully wheel chair accessible.
- All three arenas have inadequate parking.
- All three arenas lack multi-purpose space (meeting rooms, banquet hall space or lockers/storage space for rent), although they all have available office space.
- Dressing rooms are too small and inadequate for both adult and youth teams. Showers and washroom facilities are inadequate.
In addition, when the authors of the dmA consulting report performed structural assessments, they also found:
Cook Brothers:
- Obsolete ice facilities; rink floor is not insulated; glass needs replacing.
Wally Elmer:
- Small rink but good rink floor and refrigeration.
- Aging piping and electrical system, needing too many repairs.
- Dry floor program attracts use in summer.
Harold Harvey:
- Small site and arena.
- Antiquated ammonia refrigeration system, which needs replacing.
- Aging piping and electrical systems.
- Drainage and roof problems.
- Inadequate support under the rink slab due to high water table and erosion.
FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
- Capital costs for using older arenas for other purposes will be a key issue.
- Goals need to be realistic, which means any new purposes for these facilities must be much less expensive to operate and/or "revenue neutral" compared to the current facilities.
- Proposed new uses for these facilities should help maximize cost efficiencies, including operating and maintenance costs.
- Proposed service and program opportunities should be consistent with the needs of today's users.
- Partnerships with other providers and sectors should be considered wherever services are not compromised and costs to the City are reduced.
- Any repurposing must not adversely affect the health and safety of users or occupants of the facility or any adjacent facility.
- Any repurposing must comply with planning and building standards and be consistent with the character of the site.
- Any land use change must be sensitive to any adverse impacts on the natural environment and on abutting properties.
- Any future plans must be consistent with overall plans and synergies with other arenas and City of Kingston facilities.
SOME IDEAS PUT FORWARD TO DATE
Ideas coming forward from the community suggest older arenas may still be useful -- as multi-purpose neighbourhood community centres. Is there a need to use them for:
- health programs?
- social service programs?
- indoor recreational activities?
- cultural programs?
- educational uses?
- after-school sports?
- social gatherings?
