The North Cariboo Joint Committee has agreed to try and find the money for what is essentially air conditioning for the West Fraser Centre.
The vote was unanimous at last night’s meeting and came to light after things got a little warm on the floor during this year’s graduation ceremony.
Jeff Norburn, the Director of Community Services, says the facility utilizes heat pumps to provide air conditioning in the downstairs lobby and in the meeting rooms, but mechanical refrigeration was not included for the larger arena space, including the floor and spectator areas.
He says the facility has four large circulating fans mounted on the ceiling and a large exhaust fan that draws air through a large set of dampers at the east end of the building, but he says those simply move the air and do not cool it.
Norburn estimates the cost to install mechanical refrigeration in the dehumidification unit to be in the 75 to 100 thousand dollar range.
Staff has been directed to come back with a report as part of the 2019 budget process and an actual decision will then be made at that time.
CRD Area C Director John Massier, in voting in favour of the proposal, noted that they knew that some upgrades would be needed over time for the new arena and that this is just one of those upgrades.