West Boundary arena to get equipment overhaul thanks to provincial grant

The Village of Midway is planning to upgrade the village arena using provincial grant money.

Chief Administrative Officer Penny Feist said the village on Monday, March 1, signed off on the nearly $320,000 grant through the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program, which she said will go towards new refrigeration equipment for the Boundary Expo Recreation Centre.

“We’re pretty darn grateful to the province for this,” Feist said, adding that a one-time $320,000 budget item would have cost Midway ratepayers roughly $500 in extra taxes.

Arena manager Bob Peters said the building’s refrigeration system, pictured above, is nearing the end of its working life. Photo: Submitted

The new equipment will run much more efficiently than the arena’s current refrigeration system, which arena manager Bob Peters said is nearing the end of its 25-year lifespan. The upgrade will complement the arena’s new, energy-efficient Zamboni system, paid for by a grant by the energy company FortisBC, which uses cool water to resurface the rink, Peters added.

The arena’s new cooling tower will be installed in place of the current tower, shown above. Photo: Submitted

The village plans to begin installation as early as this summer, according to Public Works manager Phil Cameron. The new refrigeration system is tentatively slated to come online by the time the arena reopens in mid-October, meaning there should be no disruptions to service, he said.

The arena is widely used by schools and winter sports teams across the Boundary and beyond, Peters and Cameron said.

The Village of Midway is still tendering bids for installation, according to Feist.

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