UNBC is asking city council at tonight’s public meeting to endorse its application fora provincial grant to cover the cost of refurbishing of the hardwood floor and upgrade sports equipment for the gymnasium at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre.
The university is seeking up to $100,000 from the Northern Development Initiative Trust Prince George Regional Development Account, which would finance close to 70 per cent of the $138,235 project.
The work will repair and refurbish damages to the hardwood to improve safety and functionality and provide touch-up paint to the gym floor. It will also replace old and heavy sports equipment with lighter, more durable alternatives that will make it easier to set up the gym for user groups.
The NSC hardwood was last repainted/repaired in 2017 after the floor suffered light damage when it was used to accommodate people displaced from their homes due to wildfires in the region. That required sanding and it was repainted with logos of the Canada West Conference and U SPORTS. For hosting university-level games, maintenance and repairs are generally required at least every five years. This year's repair project is scheduled to begin on June 6.
“The gym floor is undergoing general maintenance to keep it safe and functional for all levels of athletes,” said Lisa Haslett, UNBC’s associate vice-president administration. “We will be stripping, sanding and refinishing it with our varsity athletics Timberwolves logo and potentially sponsor logos.”
UNBC athletic director Loralyn Murdoch confirmed UNBC is actively seeking a business or private sponsor to secure naming rights for the gym.
“We’re looking for a five-year commitment from an organization,” said Murdoch. “There’s a request for proposal for a host hotel (for soccer and basketball teams traveling to play the UNBC Timberwolves) and we’ve included in that RFP the opportunity for naming rights.
“Now’s the time because if we do scrape it down and repaint it we could potentially put a logo or a name.”
Northern Sport Centre opened in 2008. The 18,000 square-foot gym can be configured for three basketball courts or four volleyball courts or eight badminton courts, with seating for up to 2,000 spectators. The facility also includes an indoor fieldhouse big enough for two indoor soccer pitches, squash courts and a five-lane 280-metre rubberized running track.
NSC is managed by a joint partnership with the city, UNBC and Northern Sport Centre Limited, which operates the facility. Under a 30-year agreement that started in 2007, the city and UNBC each contribute $300,000 annually to NSC operations and provide board oversight.
Northern Development Initiative Trust was created in 2004-05 by the B.C. government, funded by $135 million of the proceeds from the 2003 sale of BC Rail to Canadian National Railway for $1 billion.
