Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:
The opening weekend for the new arena was a real, and very timely, celebration for our community. Timely, because for many people it signalled both the end of this summer’s challenging fire season and the end of a very long struggle to get this new venue built. Real, because everyone from our community was able to participate in an affordable and accessible celebration of what our entire community has accomplished together. From the sold out concert attended by over 1800 people, to the free afternoon tailgate party and free skate, to the sold out Canucks Alumni game enjoyed by over 1300 people, everyone in our community had an opportunity to participate in the celebration of this milestone achievement.
When the current North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee (NCJPC), which oversees the sub-regional recreation function and is made up of the four Northern Directors of the Cariboo Regional District and all of Council, was presented with the first real cost estimate for the arena days after being sworn into office in 2015 there was a collective gasp and groan, as the $27 million price estimate was $10 million over the cost estimate that had gone to referendum. We simply did not have the taxation authority to build that project without going to referendum again. It is a testament to the leadership of the NCJPC, our staff, the project team and the arena user groups that we were able to work together to come up with a project we could afford and a $20.6 million price cap that we could manage within the existing taxation authority and recreation budget without compromising the maintenance of our other recreation facilities.
Having set the budget, NCJPC established some key goals for the project that we expected staff and the project contractor to achieve: it had to be on time and on budget, the facility needed to be truly multi-use and be able to easily host entertainment and cultural events, the project itself had to deliver local economic benefits, and the final result should be a facility that our community would be proud of for years to come. I’m happy to report that the project was on time and on budget – a very major accomplishment! The opening concert this weekend immediately proved it is a venue that can easily host quality concerts and cultural events. And, over 50% of the project involved local contractors and suppliers. Our first three goals were handily achieved.
Only the public can determine if we achieved our final goal, but based on feedback we received all weekend and the applause of the hockey game audience when I asked if they were proud of the new arena, I believe that goal has been accomplished as well.
Over the first season in the new arena finishing touches and refinements will be made (including rubberizing the walking track). But, by all accounts, we now have a new community asset that will boost our local economy and assist us to attract and retain visitors, residents, and investment to our community. I want to personally thank everyone who had a hand in making the new arena a reality, this was truly a community accomplishment.
Bob Simpson is the Mayor of Quesnel. He can be reached via email here
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