Kinsmen Arena Ice Systems Upgrades

In October 2019, an Indoor Recreation Facility Master Plan was presented to City Council, where a recommendation to replace the Kinsmen Arena by adding a second ice surface to the Gallagher Centre was made. Council authorized Administration to continue planning the Kinsmen Arena replacement at the Gallagher Centre, known as the Gallagher Centre Renewal Project. Detailed information and project timelines related to the Gallagher Centre Renewal Project can be found on the News and Notices section of our website.

In April 2021, a presentation was made at a Council Committee of the Whole meeting to inform discussions regarding the Gallagher Centre Renewal Project. Council formally passed a motion to get a more detailed assessment and costing on repairing the mechanical/building systems for both the Kinsmen Arena and the Westland Arena. The intent was to obtain a consultant opinion of the condition and cost estimated to ensure that the ice plant and related mechanical/building systems could support ice for the next 15 years. Detailed information and project timelines related to the Kinsmen Arena Ice Systems Upgrades can also be found on the Westland Arena Ice Plant Upgrades Project page on Shape Your City.

During the summer and fall of 2021, Administration engaged the following consultants to complete an assessment of the various components that support ice mating and maintenance at the Kinsmen Arena:

1. Strong Refrigeration – to conduct an assessment of the refrigeration plant and related components, and provide recommendations for improvements to ensure continued use of the Kinsmen Arena, as an ice arena.
2. BST Consulting – to conduct an assessment of the arena slab floor, header pipe and trench to assess the overall condition of the slab, and to provide recommendations on repairs or replacement.
3. Strong Refrigeration – to determine the ventilation and dehumidification requirements needed to ensure both human safety and facility structure sustainability.

In November 2021, the assessment reports completed by the consultants were provided to City Council. Council deferred a decision on moving forward with upgrades to the ice systems at the Kinsmen Arena to the 2022 budget discussions.

In February 2022, City Council approved the 2022 and 2023 capital budgets, which included the upgrades to the Kinsmen Arena Ice systems as follows: