Operating facilities continue to be costly ventures in Rossland.
City Council has tabled a report that pegged the operating deficit at the arena last year at $265,000.
It also stated that the facility would need $3.2-million worth of maintenance related upgrades over the next five years.
Mayor Andy Morel says moving ahead with them will be among the many decisions facing council in the future.
“Do we make decisions about nice to have, vs needed to have?” asked the mayor.
“Roads, sewer and water certainly focuses high as priorities, and to invest over $3-million in an outdated building is going to be a decision forthcoming that council needs to address,” Morel added.
A decision has already been made about operations for next season.
“There were requests for us to extend our season on both ends, just for the ice season” stated Morel.
“And recognizing the costs just to do that were prohibitive and council decided not to make that investment in the extension in both the early season and late season ice this year,” he concluded.
Morel pointed out a review by council of the community pool put it’s long term future in doubt.
“We aren’t going to invest major upgrade dollars into that facility,” Morel noted.
“We will band-aid it along, as long as it doesn’t require something major, at that point council made the decision that we would close the facility if we do incur any major breakdown that requires substantial investment,” said the mayor.
The report stated the same independent engineering firm that looked at the arena also assessed the Miner’s Hall.
It concluded that facility would need $397,000 in capital upgrades over the next five years to maintain its current level of service.
The Miner’s Hall had an operating deficit of $62,000 in 2024.
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