The City of Prince George is looking into grant funding options to update the refrigeration system at the Elksentre Arena.
“The Elksentre Arena refrigeration plant system requires replacement as it is near the end of its service life, resulting in lower efficiency and higher operating costs,” writes Director of Civic Facilities and Events Andy Beesley in a report that will be presented to Prince George City Council tomorrow. (Monday)
“A replacement of the system is also required to meet the current Technical Safety BC regulations for refrigeration plant systems stemming from a BC arena ammonia leak in 2017.”
The Elksentre arena was constructed in 1976, and is the only arena facility in the Hart.
According to Beesley’s report, the proposed project includes:
- Replacement and upgrades of the ammonia refrigeration plant replacements
- Installation of a heat recovery system to divert ammonia refrigeration plant heat for the building
- Replacement of the existing dehumidification system,
- and updated system controls
The estimated cost of the project is expected to be $3,975,000.
At tomorrow’s meeting, City Council will vote to have the city submit an application to the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) grant program, requesting $2,376,000 in funding for the project.
That would cover 59.8 per cent of the total cost of the project.
If the grant application is successful, the project would be planned and scheduled for construction in Spring 2025.
Other items on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting include a building permit statistics and development services summary, and campaigning financing disclosure statements for the 2022 municipal election.
The full agenda can be found here.