Chad Staley Memorial Arena and the Prince George Golf and Curling Club which houses it will be receiving infrastructure upgrades which will make both arenas safer and more energy efficient.
A $648,000 project scheduled for completion in mid-August will replace the refrigeration plant at PGGCC and convert the system from ammonia to Freon, which is considered less hazardous in the event of a leak and requires less rigourous monitoring of the system used to control it.
Many of the province’s curling rinks and arenas have been upgraded in the wake of the Oct. 17, 2017 incident at Fernie Memorial Arena in which an ammonia leak killed three workers while they were trying to repair an aging system.
“The Freon product eliminates quite a bit of the danger that is associated with ammonia,” said PGGCC general manager Don McDermid. “Aside from the safety piece, some of the operating requirements are diminished as far as monitoring and managing the system.”
The upgrades will install dual controls on the coolant system to allow operators of the curling ice and hockey rink ice to work independently of each other to provide optimal ice conditions. That means the ice at Chad Staley rink can be retained during the summer months when the curling ice has been removed, which should help reduce overall cooling costs.
The cost of the ice plant project is being covered by a grant from the provincial economic recovery infrastructure program. The B.C. government set aside $100 million for the program to kickstart the economy that’s been battered by the 15-month pandemic. In February, 63 projects, including that of the PGGCC, were selected from the Community Economic Resilience stream.
Other approved infrastructure projects include the Mackenzie Arena compressor/ice plant upgrade ($236,250); Fraser Lake Community Hall conversion of the curling rink into a year-round gathering place ($1 million); Granisle Curling Club rink upgrade ($362,148); and the Wells outdoor skating rink improvements ($441.600).
The PGGCC will also be improving its lighting with a switch from fluorescent bulbs to more energy-efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Northern Development Initiative Trust, a provincial fund established in 2004 after the sale of BC Rail to CN Rail, will cover 70 per cent ($35,000) of the lighting project, with the remainder ($15,000) to be paid for by the club.
Mike Peterson and his Northern Ice business partner Chris Hunter went through a bit of soul-searching about spending their savings to open the city’s first private indoor rink during a pandemic. But they saw a need for a smaller ice surface of the Chad Staley rink to provide a more suitable training ground for smaller groups of hockey and ringette players and figure skaters. The 125-foot long, 55-foot wide rink opened in November.
“There was a lot of trepidation but I think when you see we’re filling a niche in the community that’s being well-received, that’s what is giving us the confidence,” said Peterson, who plans to expand use of the rink to 11 months per year. “This year gave us the exposure so when we’re going full-bore next year and we don’t have the restrictions we’ll be able to ramp up to full use.
“We are an example of build it and hope they will come and we’ve seen a good start. In order for us to make it work we’re going to need the community to come out and help us once we get ice back because we need to fill the place up so we can pay for it and keep it going.”
Public health orders during the pandemic curtailed plans for 3-on-3 hockey leagues and an intramural league for CNC/UNBC students and fears of the pandemic curtailed adult use of the rink. But it proved popular for kids involved in hockey training throughout the season and for pro-D day/spring break hockey schools. Northern Ice and the PGGCC teamed up with OVERhang climbing gym, Northern Bounce Basketball Academy and Northern United indoor soccer to offer multisport camps which went off without a hitch despite COVID restrictions.
Peterson is looking forward to the new refrigeration system, which will allow creation of harder, faster ice and greater reliability. The walls of the rink are also being insulated to keep out the heat of summer, an attribute that wasn’t in the original design of the curling rink.
A summer project will build separate change/shower facilities and male and female players and Northern Ice is working on plans for an in-arena store to sell new and used hockey equipment.
After years of declining numbers of curlers in the city, the curling club shrunk from an eight-sheet facility to hour sheets with the construction of the hockey rink. McDermid says the club will still be able to serve its curling members once health restrictions are lifted. Leagues will simply have to play additional draws per day during the season than what they were used to in the past.
“We’re not turning any curlers or bonspiels away, we’re just having to change the structure a bit to and another dimension for the city,” McDermid said. “Moving forward, it will diversify the food and beverage business as well.”
The ice at the Chad Staley rink is being removed next week to allow for the ice plant replacement. Before that happens the rink will be available this weekend for groups to rent by the hour and all proceeds will be donated to the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to the pediatrics ward at UHNBC. Saturday’s ice times are fully booked by Peterson said there are still some times available Sunday.
To book, go to the Northern Ice Sports website at https://sites.google.com/northernicesports.com/website/home or call Peterson (250) 960-9508.
