The future of the Roll-A-Dome is still under a pandemic fog, but the building’s ownership group remains committed to finding a new management group to keep it open as an affordable recreation facility.
At least two groups have made offers to take over the lease of the iconic venue, which has served the city for 68 years.
Jon Lafontaine, whose three-year lease expired in August, decided not to renew his contract to operate the Roll-A-Dome, which raised questions about what the 12 shareholders want to do with the aging structure, which sits on a valuable piece of property near the intersection of Highways 16 and 97.
“The people that are interested in leasing it are still crunching some numbers together and it’s a tough time now with the COVID - how do you sign a lease especially with the near future you’re going to build,” said Roll-A-Dome shareholder Tony Ciolfitto.
“Right now we’re just running it ourselves. We had the small business fair in there (two weekends ago) and it looks like roller derby is going to be starting up. We’re just doing our own thing there and limping along. We’re doing OK, enough to pay the bills, and I think we’re going to be OK. For how long, who knows.”
Ciolfitto confirmed there are two potential leaseholders who have indicated their interest. He said one of those groups would significantly change what part of the building would be used for if they come to terms on a lease.
“We’d like to keep the look of it the same, as far as what goes on in there,” said Ciolfitto, one of 12 shareholders in the ownership group. “It seems to be all the shareholders are on board. They got into it so we could keep it open and do our activities and that reason is still there.
“We’ll see what happens with the lease.”
Located on Recreation Place adjacent to the Prince George Golf and Curling Club, the 30,000 square-foot building was built in 1952. The Roll-A-Dome has two indoor arenas that have been used for basketball, roller skating, roller derby, skateboarding, soccer, ball hockey, lacrosse, rugby, baseball, boxing, freestyle skiing, BMX riding, crossfit workouts, airsoft shooting and dog training.
The ‘Dome is home to the Northern Bounce Basketball Academy and also serves as a venue for small business trade shows, antiques fairs, garage sales, and can be booked for parties, weddings and grad functions. The ‘Dome’s rental rates compare favourably with that of other recreational facilities and that keeps user groups coming back.
“The ‘Dome is open for certain activities but, of course, roller skating’s not going to happen right now, with the spacing (requirements) and all that stuff that’s going on with COVID,” said Ciolfitto. “COVID is the big player right now and once we figure out what we do with that then it will be a slam-dunk.”
Several of the remaining shareholders, including Ciolfitto, have reached retirement age and are considering options to get back the money they invested when they purchased the ‘Dome. They have had a few inquiries from potential buyers.
“There’s lots of activity, people wanting to buy it, and I don’t know what they want to do with it, whether they want to tear it down,” said Ciolfitto. “That would be my feeling, that somebody would buy it and the Roll-A-Dome would be gone. That would be a sad state, but we can’t stay in there forever.”
Structurally the Roll-A-Dome is sound, but Ciolfitto admits it does need significant cosmetic improvements to modernize its outer appearance. He said the Banff Recreation Centre built in 1958 was a carbon-copy of the Roll-A-Dome until 2011 when it was refurbished using laminated wood construction and glass to update it and now it is a showpiece facility in the Rocky Mountain town. Ciolfitto is hoping a similar renovation project would guarantee the longterm future of the ‘Dome as a recreational venue.
The Roll-A-Dome’s board of five directors will be having their annual general meeting, tentatively set for Nov. 17, starting at 7 p.m.
