It seems a little like deja vu, but council voted this week to grant the Penticton Club an interest-free loan to help with some essential repairs to the aging ice plant in the facility.
During a special meeting Tuesday, council voted to loan the club $32,000 to help with the replacement of the ice plant’s chiller unit, which was leaking ammonia.
A report released Tuesday confirmed that a leaking chiller was the key factor in deaths of three men at the Fernie Memorial Arena last October.
Related: Fatal ammonia leak at B.C. arena caused by aging cooling system: report
In that case, despite finding an ammonia leak in Summer 2017, the refrigeration system was put back in operation at the start of the curling season.
Curling club manager Cathy Jones came before council at their regular meeting last week, requesting financial help to replace the chiller, along with upgrades required by new regulations for ammonia-based ice plants.
Related: Penticton Curling Club discovers ammonia leak in ice maker
Recreation director Bregje Kozak told council that under the club’s lease for the 40-year-old building — which expires in 2020 — the club is responsible for all the operation, repairs and maintenance in the facility, including all of the equipment and systems and the ice plant.
The city has responsibility for the roof and the rooftop HVAC units.
“The brine chiller was replaced about eight to 10 years ago and is now failing. We also have an issue with the ammonia pipe discharge. This is not due to failure of the system, this is a change in regulation; that needs to be upsized,” said Kozak.
“The rest of the plant has been reviewed and is deemed to be operational and in safe working order, but some of the components are ageing, so future consideration should be given to how those items are replaced.”
Kozak presented two funding scenarios, one for refurbishing the entire plant, and another for only doing the priority upgrades, the brine chiller and the ammonia pipe.
“The city will fund that project, that is a base building item. The brine chiller replacement is worth $67,000 and this is the one we feel the curling club is responsible for, as per their lease,” said Kozak.
Just doing the mandatory work would cost about $92,000. With the city willing to pay the $25,000 cost of enlarging the pipe, and a $35,000 contribution from the curling club, that would come up short $32,000.
The other scenario, where the club gets the full amount of the matching grant, would have seen the club make a larger contribution, but still comes up $32,000 short of what is needed.
“The curling club requires a safe and reliable ice plant. They cannot open their club in the condition it is in, primarily due to the chiller and the relief piping,” said Kozak.
With the exception of Mayor Andrew Jakubeit, who recused himself, city council voted unanimously to approve the loan, as they did a $45,000 interest-free loan last August to replace a compressor and other work needed to get the club ready for last season’s World Curling Tour and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Related: Council approves curling club loan
Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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