History - Kinsmen Arena Replacement

September 17, 2018
At the September 17, 2018 Council meeting, Council directed Administration to engage aodbt Architecture and Interior Design to review options for replacement of the Kinsmen Arena. A full architectural and engineering review of the Kinsmen Arena was later approved to determine the current state of the facility as well as what would be required to transform the building into an all-season use facility.

March 2019
In March, 2019 the scope of work was expanded to include identification of indoor recreation infrastructure compared to intended uses. A user feedback process was also completed to determine possible uses for future indoor recreation infrastructure. A data gathering process to predict future costs and revenue requirements was then completed in order to determine required usage to support future infrastructure.

October 21, 2019
Aodbt presented the findings of the Recreation Master Plan at the October 21, 2019 Council meeting where they provided a recommendation to relocate the Kinsmen Arena by adding a second ice surface at the Gallagher Centre. Council then authorized Administration to engage aodbt to:

1. Continue working on a plan to replace the Kinsmen Arena at the Gallagher Centre, including presenting findings of the study to the June user group participants, and
2. Conduct a come-and-go public open house to obtain comments on the conceptual plan as presented, and
3. Proceed with the completion of a schematic design and partial design development to help refine cost estimates for future Council consideration, and
4. Assist Administration with a public procurement process to hire a contractor for pre-construction services only, in order to assist Administration with oversight of the design and maintaining cost certainty. (It should be noted that this is not a request to proceed to construction, but rather a request to hire an advisor to ensure a complete design that results in minimal change orders in the event Council provides future approval to proceed with construction. There will be further reports back to Council before Council is asked to consider approval to proceed with construction)

November 27, 2019
On November 27, 2019 the project team, presented to the public at an Open House, a conceptual plan for a second ice surface at the Gallagher Centre. This evening session allowed the community to provide initial feedback on the concept and the project team set into more detailed planning.

1. Direction from community stakeholders was that there needs to be some benefit to the community in the co-location of arenas, or else why replace the Kinsmen at all.
   1. 12 Change rooms, all in a single corridor for ease of wayfinding and to share between both ice surfaces
   2. Ease of facility usage
   3. Leisure Ice
   4. Viewing Areas
   5. Farrell Agencies Arena enhancements