Meaford council has given staff permission to apply for joint federal and provincial funding to help offset costs of renovation to the Meaford and St.Vincent Arena and Community Centre.
Staff gave the recommendation that the renovations focus on the arena portion of the facility.
The funding being pursued comes from Investing in Canadian Infrastructure Program supported by both the federal and provincial government.
Staff looked at the eligibility of over 40 buildings but settled on two that would best utilize this funding, the Meaford and St.Vincent Arena and Community Centre and the Bognor Community Centre.
Staff found that the potential funding would be best utilized at the arena.
A 2016 facility assessment found that the Meaford and St.Vincent Arena and Community Centre needed roughly $2.88 million in maintenance and rehabilitation over a 10 year period.
The staff report says this assessment did not take into account costs such as health and safety needs and legislated requirements.
As of the end of 2019 only $204,000 will have been put into the facility's needs leaving $2.68 million left to complete the project.
Council approved staff's request to apply for the funding.
Staff estimate that the total cost of the renovations would be around $4,865,000 with a hopeful $3,505,000 coming from the Infrastructure Program.
The staff report says that the process would start in 2020 and end in 2023 with construction being done during the spring and summer over two years to minimize financial loss at the facility which the report estimates at around $6,000 weekly.
