Marysville Arena did not open as it was hoped on January 3, 2023, but it should only be a short delay before skaters are back on the ice.

According to City of Kimberley CAO Scott Sommerville, staff will meet today with the asbestos remediation company and hopefully get the all clear.

Following that, it will be seven to ten days to get the ice in place, he said.

Last June, Kimberley City Council voted, although not unanimously, to go ahead with asbestos abatement work in the arena. Asbestos had been found in the concrete block masonry in the washrooms.The arena had already been closed on and off throughout the pandemic.

There was concern from some councillors that putting more money into a facility that needed a lot of work wasn’t wise.

There was some discussion as to whether any more money should be spent on it, or whether the focus should be on pursuing a new ice surface near the Civic Centre.

However, it was ultimately decided that a promise had been made to the community that the Marysville Arena would reopen after COVID, and that the asbestos had to be dealt with, regardless of whether the arena reopened or not.

READ: Marysville Arena will not open until January

carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter