Rec Centre ice ready by October
by Michelle Minnoch

Due to the labour disruptions and a roofers strike, the rinks for the new Innisfil Rec Centre should be ready for use this October.

Gary Stanhope gave council an update of the facility at last week's council meeting, adding that the warm part of the building, originally scheduled to open in November, will probably be opening in January 2008.

"With the phased in occupancy, the public should know it will still look like a construction site," he said. "We are 65 per cent complete of where we had hoped to be at this time."

The roofers started working on the facility before the strike began, and Stanhope said they lost about 23 days due to the disruption. He said the labourers were on strike for 15 days, and now that the smoke has cleared all major union issues has been settled.

While the foundation of the building has been poured, the contractor is holding off on further work on the warm side as it would inhibit construction, "especially when we need to pour the slab for the rink."

Stanhope said the pouring for the slab was originally scheduled for this week, but the disruptions pushed it back a few weeks.

"The work on the slabs for the rink will be 12 to 14 hours of continuous trucks going in and out," he said. Stanhope added if the temperature is above 32 degrees, there could be an impact to the concrete.

Regarding ice time bookings, Bob Browne, Manager of Parks and Rec, stated there have been inquiries and interest in booking time for the pads. "We are not booking until we have a confirmation with the schedule,' he said.

The majority of the masonry work has been concluded and the structures for the change rooms are complete.

Another feature is that the facility will be linked up to the new administration building, as well as the police station and the current town hall, which will also be used by the South Simcoe Police.

"The whole campus has been coordinated as one project."

Stanhope stated overall the project is on budget, with some contingency money being used to tie in the buildings on site.

The security tender has been awarded and came in under budget. The tender for the signage should be complete by this week. The Myrtha Pool is expected to be delivered by July and for the rinks, the zambonie has already been purchased.

"By late summer, we should start to see the sports fields take shape," he said, adding that they will not be ready for use until spring 2008.

Regarding the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design) designation, they are targeting for 30 credits, and once certified, the arena will be the first of its kind in Canada to receive LEED status.