Castlegar’s Pioneer Arena is scheduled to close on March 2.
According to a press release, the facility’s closure will allow the city to advance its plans for a new housing project at the site, which will provide up to 78 new non-market housing units to address the community’s growing need for affordable housing.
The project is a collaboration between the City of Castlegar, BC Housing, and Lu’ma Native BCH Housing Society, the project developer.
In May 2024, the City announced that the arena would remain open for the 2024/25 season before closing to allow for construction.
With the season now coming to an end, the city acknowledges its significance for the community and ice user groups.
The Pioneer Arena has played an important role in the community for decades, and while this chapter is coming to a close, the City says it remains committed to preserving the arena’s history.
To honour this legacy, Greg Nesteroff, a local historian, will present the history of the Pioneer Arena at the March 3, 2025, Council meeting at 7 p.m.
• Attend in person at 445 13th Avenue (Community Forum)
• Watch online via Zoom at castlegar.ca/councilmeetings
This historical overview and a link to the video presentation will also be available at castlegar.ca.
Recreation planning and community engagement
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) has been engaging with Castlegar and Areas I and J through a multi-phase process to reimagine the future of recreation services in the region.
This initiative aims to gather resident feedback on current services, identify desired enhancements, and develop a long-term vision that reflects community priorities, including considerations related to the Pioneer Arena’s closure and a possible second sheet of ice.
The Reimagining Recreation Final Report will be released in early March 2025.
The Final Report will include recommendations based on the information gathered throughout the engagement process, as well as next steps.
All related information, including the final report and each phase’s “What We Heard” reports, can be found here.
Following the last operational day at the Pioneer Arena on March 2, 2025, RDCK staff will begin closing the facility, which includes removing the refrigeration plant and other essential equipment. This process will take approximately four weeks.
Next steps
Once the RDCK completes the decommissioning, the facility will be handed over to the City of Castlegar. After that, the project developer will begin site preparation.
This process will take one to two months and will include essential activities such as securing necessary permits, conducting geotechnical assessments, and finalizing the design.
Demolition of the Pioneer Arena is expected to take place in June and will be coordinated with site preparation activities to ensure a smooth transition into construction.
The city said during the Febuary 18 council meeting that BC Housing will fund the demolition.
Construction of the new housing development is expected to begin in August and take approximately 18 months.
Healthcare and housing project
The City originally envisioned this project as a combined housing and healthcare initiative, recognizing the need for both essential services in the community.
Initially planned as a single building, the project has now evolved into two separate buildings on the same site.
This approach was taken to leverage separate funding streams and increase project eligibility.
While the housing component is moving forward, the City remains committed to developing a team-based healthcare centre that will house physicians and clinic spaces to improve access to primary healthcare.
The City continues to work with partners and is actively seeking funding for this important project.
