Needs Assessment to be conducted on Grafton arena

Interior view of Grafton Arena. CFWN file photo.

By Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 News, Local Journalism Initiative.

A needs assessment of the Haldimand Community Arena Complex will be conducted, after Alnwick/Haldimand Township Council voted unanimously Tuesday to proceed with a proposal from a planning and management company the township is familiar with.

Sierra Planning and Management was awarded the $72,005 + HST contract, following a request for proposals last fall. They are the same company which conducted a similar assessment on the arena in 2018.

Deputy Mayor Joan Stover said she is happy that Sierra Planning and Management is conducting the work.

“They (Sierra Planning) did the one back in 2018. So, they’re well aware of what they’re dealing with. I look forward to the next steps,” explained Stover.

In September, the arena was threatened to be without ice for the 2024-2025 season after a report from the Parks and Recreation Department indicated there were a series of leaks, which were hard to isolate and identify.

Council was told that to fix the leaks, would cost approximately $50,000 and there was no guarantee of how long the repairs would last. The leaks were fixed and ice was created in November after Grafton Minor Hockey and others raised enough money to fund the repairs.

The Sierra Planning bid, while the most expensive of the four proposals scored the highest according to a staffing report provided to Council.

Councillor Mary Catherine O’Neil questioned the scope of the assessment, suggesting the request for proposals (RFP) was only considering a new arena.

“So when this came before us as the proposed RFP, it was that this would be a new replacement building and we were not considering looking at any refurbishment or continuing on with the existing building,” stated O’Neil.

Staff told Council that the needs assessment would consider all options for the arena and site.

The funding for the needs assessment will come from the Parks and Recreation’s reserve funding envelope. Township staff will coordinate public information sessions in February on the future of the arena site. Sierra Planning and Management are expected to deliver a final report to Council by the end of March.