With a current quote of $22.6 million and a budget of $17 million, the Joint Planning Committee (city and CRD) has voted to move forward on the arena replacement project, with some minor adjustments.
“There’s some modifications to the aesthetics of the building,” Mayor Bob Simpson said.
“It’s a savings of about $600,000.”
Simpson said next steps include the hiring of a project manager, while moving to a design development stage which will provide additional details resulting in a second cost estimate.
“We should have that number by February,” Simpson said.
Simpson pointed to the fact the most recent information and figures on the arena was presented Nov. 13 to Joint Planning but was only presented to newly elected officials last week.
“This isn’t new data,” he said.
“It took just a bit of time as we had to go through formal process [swearing-in, review of information].”
The current quote of $22.6 was based on community input sessions, post referendum, once architects incorporated the community’s wish-list, a figure was calculated.
Architects then presented a few different options for Joint Planning to consider in an attempt to bring the price assessment down.
One such option was to reduce the size of the building in the proposed location for a savings of approximately $2 million. The other was to proceed with the full arena but on the current arena’s footprint, resulting in the loss of a season.
“These options were presented by architects doing due diligence,” Simpson said.
Joint Planning then passed a motion to proceed with the project design with modifications to aesthetics (quality of material) to the outside of the building.