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Project Added To Kal Tire Place Expansion

Sep 8, 2017 | 6:16 AM

The new arena at Kal Tire Place will have a few extra features, thanks to the construction getting off to a good start.

Doug Ross, Vernon’s director of recreation services, says the project is on time and budget, giving them the ability to use some of their contingency.

“We have a list of things that were listed as being either required or priorities for the project, and they were put on the back burner when the project was initially put out to tender. And if the project keeps moving forward as successfully as it has so far, then we’ll be looking at adding those things back in.”

Ross says a second chiller to control ice temperatures has been added.

“What that can mean is we can have the ice in one facility harder, if that’s what figure skating wants, and we can have it softer in the other building, if that’s what hockey wants,” Ross tells Kiss FM.

The 13 million dollar facility should be ready to use a year from now.

The 11.8 million dollar construction contract is being run by VVI of Kelowna.

Work on the new 400 seat arena started in April.

It’s being built at the north end of the current 3,000 seat arena which opened in 2001.