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ice sheet

Piece by piece, Vernon’s Civic Arena is literally falling apart: City

VERNON - Cracked walls, crumbling concrete and a heaving floor are among a long list of problems plaguing the Civic Arena in Vernon. Bit by bit, the 77-year-old arena is falling apart, says Vernon recreation services manager Doug Ross. “Just as you repair one thing, something else crops up,” Ross says. Cracks in the floor...

Building a new arena is in the hands of Greater Vernon voters

VERNON - Greater Vernon residents will head to the polls to vote on a new arena next month. A referendum is set for Nov. 28 which will ask voters to borrow $13.2 million to decommission the Civic Arena and add a second arena at Kal Tire Place. “Civic has served its purpose, its time is...

Vernon MLA disappointed by arena ‘hiccup’, says minister is on it personally

VERNON - Vernon’s MLA isn’t happy about ongoing delays surrounding a referendum for a new ice sheet.  The provincial government rejected, for a second time, a referendum proposal from the City of Vernon and the North Okanagan Regional District, putting the initiative even further behind schedule. Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster says he’s ‘disappointed with how...

Ongoing delays for new Vernon ice sheet costing taxpayers: Mayor

VERNON - Red tape continues to delay a borrowing referendum for a new ice rink in Vernon. The North Okanagan Regional District still doesn’t have authorization from the provincial government to hold a referendum asking voters to borrow up to $13 million to decommission the aging Civic Arena and build a second ice sheet at...

Future of Civic Arena unclear if Vernon’s ice sheet referendum succeeds

VERNON - As the conversation around a new ice rink in Vernon continues to move ahead, some are wondering what that means for the historic arena it would be replacing. When the Civic Arena was constructed in 1938, it was the first indoor ice rink in the Okanagan Valley. In April of that year, the...

Clock ticking on Vernon ice sheet referendum

VERNON - It’s crunch time for local government officials looking to hold a November borrowing referendum for a new Vernon ice sheet. The City of Vernon wants to decommission the aging Civic Arena and add a second ice sheet to Kal Tire Place — but has had to jump through some hoops just to bring...

Keeping the Civic Arena running won’t come cheap

VERNON - It will cost the City of Vernon $75,000 in repairs alone to keep the Civic Arena running until a replacement ice sheet is built. City representatives had little choice but to provide the money for arena upgrades at a council meeting Tuesday. A referendum on decommissioning Civic Arena and borrowing funds for an...

Greater Vernon may appeal arena referendum veto

VERNON - Greater Vernon officials may appeal a ruling from the province forbidding a referendum on borrowing money to replace the Civic Arena. The question was set to be on the November municipal election ballot, but the Inspector of Municipalities refused to approve the referendum due to concerns about the North Okanagan Regional District borrowing...