We are excited to announce that we are starting a study to see what we should do with the youth arena. The facility is aging and a lot of the infrastructure inside is at, near or beyond its useful life. Knowing this, the Town has commissioned a study to help us better understand what the best way forward is for our community. Here are the key parts of the study:

• Understanding the Need: We will look at how many people currently use the arena, and what the projected growth might be over the next few years, to help us understand what the demand for the space is. We are also looking at the current sports and recreation landscape so that we can understand the best course of action; three possible outcomes from the study could be: 1) a recommendation to upgrade the existing arena to extend its useful life by approximately 25 years; 2) a recommendation to build a new arena-only facility; or 3) a recommendation to consider building a new multi-purpose indoor facility that includes an ice pad, but allows for other sports and recreation activities. These are just three options, but there could be many others.
• Figuring out the Costs: We will calculate how much it would cost to design and build a new arena. If we are fixing the old one, we will look at the cost of repairs, upgrades, and adding new features. We will also look at how much it will cost to run the arena and how much revenue it could raise to offset operational costs.
• Talking to the Community: It’s important for us to hear from you. We will have surveys, meetings, and talks with community members to make sure that whatever path is recommended meets the needs and values of the community.
• Identifying Challenges: We will look at any problems that might come up, like finding enough money, delays in construction, or rules and legislation we have to follow. We will also come up with plans to deal with these challenges.

This study will help us decide the best way to move forward with our youth arena. We want to make sure we make a decision that is good for everyone in our community. “These sorts of studies are important when you’re considering how to manage the future of aging infrastructure. Before we seek to repair something of this magnitude, which is a significant financial undertaking, we need to better understand whether or not this facility continues to meet the need of the community or if there are better options. This study will work to inform the future recommendations to Council and may fundamentally change the landscape of recreation facilities in this community”, noted Stephanie Clark, Director of Community Services.

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Media Contact
Joanne Plontz
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
77 Beckwith Street N, Box 695
Smiths Falls, ON K7A 2B8
613-283-4124 ext. 1122
communications@smithsfalls.ca