Penticton council proceeds with first step toward tearing down Memorial Arena

Penticton’s iconic but aging Memorial Arena would be demolished and replaced with a modern twin-pad facility near the South Okanagan Events Centre, under a proposal that is moving forward in the planning stages following a presentation to city council on Tuesday.

Council voted unanimously (6-0) to proceed to the next phase, which includes preliminary design and site analysis, after hearing from a team of experts advocating for the new facility.

As part of the proposal, it was also recommended that council consider decommissioning the aging McLaren Arena and investing nearly $7 million to convert it into a modern six-sheet curling facility. The existing Penticton Curling Club would then be sold to Cascades Casino to allow for an expansion of that facility next door.

The estimated cost for the new twin-pad arena is just over $70 million, but partners emphasized this figure includes a worst-case 25 per cent contingency. Final costs are expected to be significantly lower once the design is finalized.

Council was told there was “extensive consultation” with the public on the proposal.

Council heard from a team of experts involved in the arena feasibility study, including Jonathan Hack from Sierra Planning and Management, Rick Kozuback from International Coliseums Company, local architect Cal Meiklejohn, and Matt Kenyon from Penticton’s Greyback Construction.

Kelsey Johnson, the city’s general manager of community services, explained that discussions around closing or repurposing Memorial and McLaren arenas began back in 2017. At that time, a committee of 13 residents representing various user groups was formed to provide input on the future of the city’s aging ice facilities. The committee ultimately recommended building a new twin-pad arena at the SOEC complex.

The proposed facility would be approximately 74,000 square feet.

“Since then, a number of milestones on this project have occurred,” said Johnson.

An asset management plan conducted by the city confirmed that both Memorial and McLaren arenas were nearing the end of their usable lives and needed replacement.

Hack acknowledged the historical significance of Memorial Arena, describing it as “a much-loved facility” in the community. While the team explored the possibility of converting Memorial into a “dry floor” venue for sports like lacrosse, they ultimately decided demolition was the most practical and cost-effective option.

“We’ve concluded the twin-pad arena is the way to go, located at the SOEC site,” said Hack. “We’ve indicated here that Memorial Arena, under all of the options, would be decommissioned.”

Although there was lengthy discussion about keeping Memorial Arena operational in some capacity, Hack said the consensus was to move forward with demolition and construction of the new facility nearby.

The working group also determined that even with a new twin-pad facility, a third arena will be needed in Penticton within the next five to 10 years to meet the growing demand for ice time.

Hack said the current focus is on replacing Memorial and McLaren with the twin-pad facility, while further discussions about a potential third rink—and its funding—will come at a later stage.

A three-rink facility at the SOEC site was considered, but due to financial constraints and current usage needs, the decision was made to proceed with the twin-pad and defer the triple-rink idea.

As part of the funding strategy, the plan includes selling the Penticton Curling Club to Cascades Casino and converting McLaren Arena into a new curling facility with a $6.9 million investment.

Coun. Isaac Gilbert chimed in with a suggestion of a community centre in that location rather than curling.

“With the Innovation District there, (it would be nice) to have a place for people to go to that’s not ice-related with activities for people,” Gilbert told council.

Penticton architect Cal Meiklejohn told council that he has played hockey at Memorial for decades and was saddened by the decision.

“I’m sad to see it die a slow, painful death,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Memorial Arena is in the way… besides falling down,” he later added.

Rick Kozuback, a former coach and general manager of the Penticton Knights, said the planning team consulted every ice user group in the city before making final recommendations.

“We made sure that if we were talking about some transformation, it included everybody,” he said. “It was very important to talk to everyone and I think we did that.”

He added that all current ice user groups would retain their status and continue their programs once the new facility opens.

“We looked at what’s the right size for this facility,” he said. “We need two sheets of ice and they need to be 200 feet by 85 (NHL size). That’s it.”

Okanagan Hockey Group, which currently occupies three spaces in Memorial, would need equivalent space in the new arena. They have requested 10,000 square feet of administrative space. Their current lease with the city runs through 2029.

Kozuback noted the new design would include ample viewing space for spectators at both rinks.

Johnson confirmed that long-time groups such as the Glengarry Figure Skating Club and Penticton Minor Hockey have been consulted and will be accommodated in the new facility.

“We’re looking to accommodate and make sure there’s not a loss for anyone,” she said.

Hack reiterated that the $71 million budget includes a standard 25 per cent contingency and that the actual costs would likely be reduced once the project is finalized.

The budget includes not just the cost of construction, but also demolition of the existing facilities, site preparation, and necessary infrastructure upgrades.

Kenyon said the goal was to match the construction quality of the SOEC, built 20 years ago.

“We essentially matched the SOEC in many ways for quality,” he said. “We wanted something the community could actually be proud of. You can always downgrade something or we can upgrade. I think we’re kind of right in the sweet spot.”

The plan for converting McLaren Arena into a curling centre includes a two-storey, 5,000 square foot wood-frame expansion for a clubhouse and viewing area. Existing dressing rooms on the west side would be removed to allow for additional parking.

The estimated cost for the curling facility is $5.25 million, increasing to $6.9 million with the contingency included.

Despite the SOEC site already being a busy hub, Hack said it remains “the best location” for the new twin-pad facility.

Annual operating costs for the new rinks are projected at $250,000, though Hack noted that figure may have increased slightly. However, the facility is expected to attract more users and bring in additional tournament revenue.

Preliminary designs are tentatively scheduled for 2026, a financial commitment in 2027, and construction is slated to place between 2028 and 2030.

“The need is clearly there,” said Hack. “I think these buildings will be successful.”

Johnson noted that while McLaren remains structurally sound, it is too small to meet the needs of most current user groups.

“Structurally, it is fairly sound, but is undersized as an ice rink,” she said. “There may be a business case made for sale of the curling site and potentially repurpose McLaren as a curling sheet. Again, more investigation needs to occur there.”

More discussions on the project are expected during the 2026 budget deliberations related to long-term capital investments.

Concurrent to this study being conducted, staff met with the developer of 955 Timmins Ave. to discuss their plans for an indoor recreation facility, publicly known as the Peach City Sportsplex.

Original plans for their site envisioned two NHL-sized ice sheets, eight indoor pickleball courts, nine outdoor pickleball courts, an indoor baseball training centre and a fitness facility.

The developer intends to remove the twin rinks from the project concept and will continue to proceed with the other recreation components as part of the redevelopment of that site. With that, staff do not foresee a private facility meeting the identified needs in the future, said Johnson.

— This article was originally published by the Penticton Herald

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