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Arena needs sprinklers, say councillors

Posted Mar 18, 2010 By Chris Must

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EMC News - A consultants' recommendation to save funds in this year's rehabilitation of the Perth and District Community Centre by not including a sprinkler system met some opposition at town council's Committee of the Whole March 9.

In a report to the committee, Director of Community Services Shellee Evans highlighted seven major recommendations made by the project management team, including removal of a fire sprinkler system, which carried an estimated price tag of $100,000. A sprinkler system is not required to operate the building as an arena, although it would be required to host any future trade shows. "Staff feel that the cost of installing the system to accommodate tradeshows far exceeds the potential revenue from these rentals," said Evans in her report.

Noting that an annual gun show being relocated to the Lanark village arena this year due to the planned renovation project in Perth attracts thousands of visitors, Mayor John Fenik said the way to make money from the arena is to promote it for other purposes when the ice is out. "I don't know if we market the arena for these types of events," said the mayor, adding, "I'm not in agreement with removing the sprinkler system."

Evans said that if the $100,000 cost of installing the sprinkler system is put back into the budget for the project - the total budget is currently $856,680 - savings will have to be found elsewhere. She said the decision needs to be made by council because, "this really does change the use of the community centre."

In response to other questions from council, Evans said dances can still be held at the arena without requiring a sprinkler system, but the annual Heritage Fair (formerly the Historica Fair) could not be held there because it would fall under the definition of a trade show. The Heritage Fair is being held at Perth and District Collegiate Institute this year due to the community centre rehabilitation.

Chief Administrative Officer Tim Simpson suggested adding the sprinkler system to the tenders from the project as a provisional item. The committee unanimously approved this recommendation, and the decision to include or remove the sprinkler system will be made after tender prices are received.

Other recommendations in the study include establishing an accessible washroom, accessible seating, an accessible dressing room and a referee's room, as well as upgrading the parking lot and reducing the size of the canteen.

Plans for the parking lot including taking the existing wall on Beckwith Street down to grade and abandoning the existing entrance on Foster Street. The recommendation is to establish a one-way entrance off Beckwith Street and an exit on the westerly end off Foster Street, and to establish angled parking.

The recommendation to reduce the size of the canteen is intended to increase the space in the lobby. This will allow for better traffic flow between canteen clientele and the public. According to the consultants' recommendations, "Currently there is little room for users with large hockey bags to get through the canteen line."

The contract for the project was recently awarded to Guy Saumure and Sons Construction Ltd. of Smiths Falls. Other improvements on the agenda for the arena include installing a new base, complete with insulation, in the ice rink.

Of the total project budget of $856,680, two thirds is being funded by a Recreation Infrastructure Canada grant, and the remaining third by the town of Perth and its cost-sharing partners.