Orillia is pumping almost $400,000 into a pair of aging buildings this year with an eye to ensuring they have a solid future.
At this week’s capital budget deliberations, councillors agreed to spend $200,000 in improvements at the Rotary Aqua Theatre and $190,000 to develop a plan to ensure Brian Orser Arena remains a viable hockey rink into the future.
Aqua Theatre
The Rotary Aqua Theatre has been a popular bandshell at Couchiching Beach Park for almost six decades.
On summer nights - especially Sunday evenings during the city-run concert series - the benches are often full as the music wafts over the hill on the edge of the lake.
While the setting is idyllic, the building is in need of work.
According to a report tabled during budget discussions, the building “requires retrofitting to continue its useful life.”
In 2011, Tacoma Engineers did a structural review that concluded “the deterioration of the roof framing elements is a serious structural concern and will continue unless an adequate system is installed.”
Those same concerns were echoed in subsequent reports by Garland Canada and Steenhof Building Services Group.
The proposed renovation includes a new concrete floor slab and drain, replacement of doors, interior painting and repair of damaged walls, new fixtures, repair and upgrades to the exterior of the building, mandatory replacement of corroded steel supporting beams, a new electrical service, a sloping cedar shake roof and aesthetic upgrades to the front elevation so it’s in-line with other park buildings.
Previously, council approved $450,000 for the work. A comprehensive set of construction drawings was prepared and the construction project was tendered last summer.
The lowest tender was $458,000 (the only other submission was for $1.1 million). However, because there is just $136,000 remaining from the original $450,000 committed to the project, staff sought - successfully - $200,000 more to ensure the project can be completed.
Coun. Tim Lauer wondered at the logic of spending so much on an “ugly building” and wondered if tearing it down might have been a better option.
Ray Merkley, the city’s director of parks, recreation and culture, said razing the structure was contemplated, but it was determined it would cost “considerably more” to build a replacement.
Merkley said the Rotary Club is raising money to upgrade the seating.
Brian Orser Arena
In 2013, city council decided it would be off-side to build another new rink and decided to embark on a ‘capital investment program’ for the Gill Street arena originally named Twin Lakes Arena when it opened in 1974.
Since 2013, about $500,000 has been invested. In 2020, $190,000 will be spent to complete a “detailed design and documentation for renovations” to the arena.
A consultant, exp Services, completed a preliminary building condition survey that flagged several items that needed to be addressed:
- Replacement of the rink floor, dahser boards, players’ seating area, lighting, clock, P.A. system and parking lot lighting and lot surface refurbishing.
- Refurbishment of dressing rooms, washrooms and main lobby, meeting rooms;
- Replacement of HVAC and ventilation equipment and the seating area are recommended
- Refrigeration, heat exchanger, condenser and oil separators require retrofittings.
In all, it’s estimated about $4.5 million worth of work is required over the next five years.
Once the design work is done, the renovations will be phased in to limit the impact on the operation of the facility.
“This will get us construction ready (and allow us to) get it out to tender,” said Merkley.
Coun. Ralph Cipolla, who has been against the plan to renovate the facility since the idea was floated, shook his head in disappointment when the decision to invest the $190,000 was approved by his colleagues.
Earlier this year, the city made an application for federal/provincial funding to refurbish the arena. It's unclear when news about that might be forthcoming.
