Help decide What's Next for the Memorial Arena
By Cecilia Nasmith
Since the Cobourg Community Centre opened in 2011 with its two new ice surfaces, many have wondered what's next for the old Cobourg Memorial Arena.
This is, in fact, one of the newer projects on the Engage Cobourg on-line public platform designed to gather residents' feedback and comments.
Launched by the Community Services Division in partnership with the Communications Department, this new public-engagement project is seeking community input to help the town reimagine the future uses of the building on Furnace Street that was decommissioned as an arena in 2019. Council struck the Memorial Arena ad hoc committee to help with this project, and the What's Next for the Memorial Arena launch is designed to inform residents of the committee's mandate and its work – in addition to gathering residents' feedback, questions, comments and ideas.
The Cobourg Memorial Arena was built in about 1949, with a portion rebuilt in 1952 after a fire. Additions were made to the main building in 1992 and 1997. However, by the standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, it is not considered an accessible building.
As part of the town's asset-management plan, the Pinchin Ltd. firm completed a condition assessment of the structure in February 2018, which included specialist reviews of the mechanical, electrical, fire and safety systems, as well as AODA and code compliance. The report concluded that it would require significant repairs and improvements to its infrastructure – not to mention accessibility enhancements – for it to continue operating.
Both arena buildings – both the Cobourg Memorial Arena and the newer nearby Jack Heenan Arena that was taken over by the West Northumberland Curling Club – have solar panels on the roof that are connected together and to the grid. The solar-installation contract term expires Sept. 17, 2035.
The 2018 Pinchin report estimated it would take $6,127,195 in both immediate and long-term repairs to maintain the building in its present function. Given these costs and challenges, the Memorial Arena was decommissioned as an arena in 2019. In 2022, operating costs for this building and its site are estimated to be $102,250.
You can share your thoughts on Engage Cobourg by completing the survey (which will be up through May 18) and submitting your comments to the on-line forum (also with a May 18 deadline). Interested resident may also request a delegation to the Memorial Arena ad hoc committee – by May 6 for their May 11 meeting (at 7 p.m.) and by May 13 for their May 18 meeting (at 2:30 p.m.).
To view the project and learn more, visit engagecobourg.ca
Residents are encouraged to create a profile on-line and participate in current public-engagement projects on the site. To register, visit www.engagecobourg.ca and click on the Register Today button.
