ELK POINT – The Elk Point Arena Operating Committee is seeking $192,125 in funding from the County of St. Paul to help replace the original 50-year-old ice plant at the A.G. Ross Arena in Elk Point.
A new ice plant would allow the arena to extend its operating season and host more community events by having the option to put ice into the arena earlier.
On Sept. 24, during a delegation at the County of St. Paul’s public works meeting, committee representatives said the arena has been needing a much-needed upgrade for some time.
The first phase of the committee’s plan to develop the arena involves replacing the ice plant by 2025, which would cost $1.5 million.
“We’re always busy with maintenance,” like fixing the leaking roof and dealing with corrosion issues, said Elk Point Agricultural Society president Carrie Baumgardner, as she listed examples of work that needs to be done.
Maintenance is also becoming increasingly more difficult, according to Baumgardner, with parts being difficult to find, making maintenance of the ice plant more costly and inefficient to run.
So, a committee was formed to address the aging infrastructure.
The committee applied for a $768,500 matching grant through the provincial government’s Active Communities Initiative (ACI). But the matching grant means the committee has to cover half of the $1.5 million project, with the ACI covering the other half.
So far, the committee has secured $388,875 through its own fundraising and also secured a $187,500 commitment from the Town of Elk Point on Sept. 3.
The committee asked County council if it could cover 25 per cent of the matching grant, amounting to $192,125 – to complete the $768,500 required.
“We have to show how it would enhance our community right now,” Baumgardner said, referring to the grant requirement, adding that some members of the community are asking for ice earlier in the season, and there are also requests to run tournaments after the arena wraps up its usual programming.
Reeve Glen Ockerman asked if the committee tried to look for funding through federal grants.
Baumgardner said the committee did try to secure funding through the federal government’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, which provides up to $3 million in funding for small to medium-sized projects to retrofit existing community buildings but was not accepted.
She said the committee is actively looking for more grant opportunities.
Ockerman asked how much time the committee has to come up with the funding.
Baumgardner said the committee has to provide 35 per cent in down payment by November, if the ACI grant gets approved.
Council deferred a decision on the funding request to its strategic planning taking place in October, hoping to provide an answer by early November.
Coun. Darrell Younghans said that whether the ACI grant gets approved or not, he suggested council keep an open mind about finding alternative ways to make the project happen.
“What we've seen in the last three to five years – the difference in what the volunteers have done in our community – it's great to see,” said Younghans.