Cranbrook’s Memorial Arena is open to the public once again after it was closed last September due to structural concerns.
Council moved quickly to divert funds to the project to ensure the arena would be open by the next hockey season.
Council had previously approved up to $3 million out of the Moir Park reserve for the repairs.
Mayor Wayne Price said $500,000 from the RDEK helped speed things up even more.
“Their decision allowed the project to start when it did,” he said.
“I can guarantee we wouldn’t have gotten the early start we did without the RDEK.”
RDEK chair Rob Gay was impressed by the city’s quick action.
“They were very quick and were able to somehow cobble some money together and change priorities,” Gay said.
“The Regional District was very pleased to be able to offer $500,000 dollars.”
The project budget has increased by $140,000, but the city will still be paying less than the original $3 million thanks to the RDEK.
“Council approved an expenditure of $3 million so now it will be less than $3 million that the city is spending for this, but because of the $500,000 the RDEK brought in staff cannot spend more than what council approved which was a ceiling of $3 million,” said CAO Mark Fercho.
The final amount that the city is on the hook for is $2,640,000 which is being taken from the Moir Park reserve.
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