Tear It Down, or Re-Purpose?

Vernon city staff continue to explore options for the Civic Arena.

Mayor Akbal Mund says council will get a report on the options in May.

He says it could be used for other purposes – but only if it’s cost effective.

“What are we going to use it for? If we’re using it for a sports facility, it’s easy to put up a four wall building, and it would be a lot cheaper, with newer plumbing, heating and electrical,” Mund told the media.

Mund says if the costs of a re-purposed facility come back around two million dollars, he would vote to keep it, but not if it’s $5 to $7 million.

Suggestions for that have included a dry sports facility, a public market, or a cultural facility.

Another option is to demolish the 80 year old building, and turn the site into a park.

Council will also be getting a cost estimate on that.

The plan is to decommission the Civic as an ice facility once the new arena is completed at Kal Tire Place in the fall of 2018.