KENORA — Some parts of the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre will soon be closed to the public for a while as the complex undergoes upgrades.
Beginning in early May, a contractor will be replacing the concrete slab in the Thistle Arena to provide a more solid and stable ice surface.
The slab, originally built in 1968, has been experiencing heaving and cracking in recent years, complicating ice maintenance, a City of Kenora news release states.
The work “has been on the books to be done for several years,” Mayor Andrew Poirier said Friday.
“It’s just been a matter of trying to schedule it.”
Work is expected to carry on into September but be finished in time for hockey season, he said.
This project is funded through Ontario’s Strategic Priorities Infrastructure Fund and supported by the city’s Recreation Centre Reserves.
“The new slab will feature heating pipes and insulation beneath the surface, reducing the risk of freezing underneath and heaving,” said Andrew Smith, the city’s general manager of Recreation and Culture.
During construction of the slab, the walking track, dressing rooms and storage rooms in the arena will be closed to the public.
The fitness center, New Horizons Senior Centre, physiotherapy and multi-purpose rooms will remain open.
The sports centre’s pool will be closed for its regular annual general maintenance during part of the summer, the city said.
“These enhancements to the Thistle Arena promise to elevate our community’s recreational experience, and we are excited to see the positive impact they will have,” said the city’s news release.
