The good news is the West Fraser Centre Centre, damaged in a fire back in May, will be expanded.
The bad news is it likely won’t be ready for the start of the ice season in September.
That decision was made at last (Tuesday) night’s North Cariboo Joint Advisory Committee meeting.
Two options were presented by Jeff Norburn, who is the Director of Community Services.
“The estimated cost to expand the concession to the south into the concourse is about $267,090. The estimated cost to expand north into the Dunkley Room is about $332,275.”
Norburn noted that the Dunkley Room option was also a lot more complex.
“As it requires the elimination of a door out to the seating area, alterations to the west wall and the relocation of doors into the concourse. This option would also require new plumbing and drainage. And when we say complex we also mean time. The contractors estimate it’s probably an additional 6 to 8 weeks worth of work for that option versus the other option.”
The Committee went with the less expensive first option.
Mayor Ron Paull and CRD Area B Director Barb Bachmeier were opposed.
Bachmeier was concerned if there was another fire.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a fire, but I have. It gets very dark very quick and people start to panic, and I would rather this went into the Dunkley Room because I really truly believe that people are going to need the room if there is another situation like this. The smoke comes down, the heat comes down and you’re knocked to the floor.”
The concession will not only be bigger but it will now also include a grill and deep fryer for an expanded menu..
Quesnel City Council has a grant application into the Northern Development Initiative Trust for 100 thousand dollars, which could reduce the cost.
The money needed will come out of capital reserves.
Norburn said that there were potential savings (around $18,700) to some of the repairs from the fire and that they may not need to spend all of the insurance money that they received.
The motion that was passed was to spend up to $248,390 on the expansion.
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