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Centennial Arena closed for good after building fails safety inspection

Structural analysis found several areas of concern that would cost an estimated $600,000 to repair
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Centennial Arena file photo

The other shoe dropped Monday night when City of Elliot Lake CAO Daniel Gagnon issued a news release indicating that the city-owned 50 year old Centennial Arena on Spruce Avenue cannot be rehabilitated and is being closed permanently.

The news, which Mr. Gagnon had previously referred to as “the worst case scenario" became reality after the old truss-supported structure failed to pass non-destructive testing which began late in April.

In his release, Mr Gagnon said, "The city's Centennial Arena has been deemed structurally unsafe and will remain closed, likely for good."

At Monday night's Budget Committee table, the CAO briefed City Council on the results of the recent structural analysis that found several concerns amounting to a repair cost estimate of no less than $600,000.  

"Given the age of the wood-trussed building there was no appetite for that scale of repair cost,” he added. “Faced with the sobering update, it was clear that building has reached the end of it's useful lifespan and the city needs to seek out alternatives."

"Staff was directed to seek emergency funding from senior levels of government and aggressively pursue expedited construction of a new arena,” Mr. Gagnon continued.

Centennial Arena was closed as a precaution after a roof collapse of the southern portion of the Lester B. Pearson Civic Centre on Feb. 21. It was due to an exceptional snow and ice load on the roof of the building. As a precaution, within days, city officials decided to close other city-owned buildings including Centennial Arena and Collins Hall on Hillside Drive North, for emergency roof snow and ice clearing.

The now-permanent Centennial Arena closure puts a new urgency on the success of a plan which is being discussed by Elliot Lake's Ad Hoc Community Hub Committee. That committee is currently tasked with coming up with a plan for a shovel ready project to construct a new recreation based complex adjacent to Elliot Lake City Hall, at 151 Ontario Ave. It's the vacant site of the ill-fated Algo Centre Mall which was recently purchased by Elliot Lake from the owners of a numbered company. The former mall collapsed back in June 2012.  Two women were killed in the tragedy and some 50 other people were injured.

The city is to rezone five acres of the 12-acre downtown site so the proponent can develop residential and retail space. The other seven acres of the old mall site will be retained by the city which has earmarked the land as the home for the planned Community Hub. It would be set up to house a new ice arena, five sheets of curling ice, a swimming pool and exercise facility.

To be considered for critical provincial recreational startup funding by the Ford government in Toronto, Elliot Lake needs to have the shovel ready plan on the desk of Minister of Infrastructure Monte McNaughton by July.

"Planning will now focus on phasing and prioritizing the arena in order to decrease the impact on ice users and the community. The city will be working with concerned stakeholders during the upcoming difficult transition period,” Mr. Gagnon concluded.



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About the Author: Brent Sleightholm

As a reporter, Brent has covered everything from amateur and professional sports, to politics, entertainment, police and courts, to human interest stories and government issues
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