St Malo arena renovation sees delays due to lack of construction materials

Renovations for the De Salaberry Recreation Facility in St Malo are steadily moving along with slight delays due to a lack of construction materials.

“You could call it falling behind, I guess, if you wish, but it’s just getting access to materials and stuff like that coming in,” said Reeve Darrel Cure. “They’re not really behind. So, just to make it better, clearer understanding, we had anticipated opening up the arena part only, like just the ice surface area. For that to be open, first they had told us November there was a delay of materials and such, and then it went to January.”

Cure further explained that council had considered opening up only the ice surface to residents in January or February, but it felt the time frame wouldn’t be practical since the rink is usually closed in March. To open the rink, more money would have to have been paid to the contractor and considering all the money already invested in the venture, the risk of opening up just the ice surface would be too great, according to Cure.

Administration did not respond to The Carillon’s request for an estimate on how much revenue was lost during construction.

Construction is currently in the second phase of the project, which began in 2024. The budget for the second phase is $8.7 million and will involve relocating the tractor room, replacement of the sideboards, a new ice surface, a new ice plant building, and upgrades to the foyer which will consist of a new viewing area, meeting rooms, washrooms, mechanical rooms, and concession.

Cure estimates Phases Two will be completed by early summer.

Phase One was completed in 2022 which saw the renovation of the ice plant and dehumidifiers at a cost of $600,000.

Council has yet to vote on whether to commit to a third phase, which would see the construction of new change rooms. Cure estimates that project will be about $3 million and will require fundraising in the community to complete.

To fund the construction of the first two phases of the project, in 2024 the RM borrowed $4.5 million over 15 years at an annual interest rate of seven percent. A local improvement tax was implemented and to offset some of the costs the RM will use money from the Canada community building fund ($660,000) for the first five years and then funding from the federal green and inclusive community buildings program ($3.7 million) and the Manitoba arts, culture and sport in community fund ($700,000).

After 10 years, residents will have to pay the outstanding annual balance of $439,178 through property taxes. In 2024, it was determined that a home assessed at $240,000 will pay about $91 the first year and at year six that amount will increase to an annual fixed rate of $183 regardless of assessment.

“If their assessment goes up, we are not following the assessment, we’re just debenturing that $183, so that means that that will come down on their mill rate,” said Cure in a 2024 interview regarding the arena.

To date, the RM has fundraised $10,370 and has used $400,000 from its reserves to pay for renovations to the 51-year-old facility.

The cost to operate the new arena is not expected to go past the previous rate of $158,800 a year, according to an RM meeting in 2024 regarding the building’s renovations.

The renovations will extend the life of the arena by 50 years.

Cure said the changes will make the building a year-round facility, where during the off-season when the ice surface is not used, the facility will be home to a famers’ market with recreational use by the Rat River Recreation Commission.

“We’re hoping – council hasn’t landed on this yet – but we’re hoping that this could be a place of maybe a meet-and-greet where people could meet and have coffee. But again, these things have not been outlined 100% because we’re still in construction,” said Cure.

When all renovations are complete, it’s estimated that 10,000 square feet will be added to the building and its energy consumption will be reduced by 75 percent.