A feasibility study for an elevator in the Golden Curling Rink has been temporarily grounded in favour of new vinyl flooring.
At the June 15 Columbia Shuswap Regional District board meeting in Salmon Arm, directors authorized the reallocation of $21,000 from the Golden Curling Rink’s 2023 Five Year Financial Plan.
The funds were originally allocated for a $10,000 elevator feasibility study and another $11,000 funds were budgeted for a brine pump, motor, and filter replacement work.
While the regional district was pleased to acquire a tenant for the April 15 to Sept. 15, off-season with Sideways Strategies, a skateboarding instructional company, skateboard wheels are scuffing up the floors. This is a problem as the scuff marks will be visible through the ice, conflicting with the painted lines delineating the curling sheet.
In his report to the board, CSRD Operations Manager Darcy Mooney pointed out that historically, all the painted lines needed for a curling sheet typically lasted for a few years before requiring a re-coat.
“The downside to painting, is that the floor is easily marked-up during off-season, dry floor events, in addition to being environmentally unfriendly,” Mooney said. “Due to the issues with painting, other options were investigated, with the best option being one-piece vinyl rink liners.”
Mooney explained that the four vinyl sheets can be laid down within minutes, have all the appropriate lines on them and last approximately 15 years. As well, they allow for the temperature to be kept about two degrees warmer, thereby reducing the facility’s carbon footprint. Another benefit is that the vinyl sheets reduce ice-making time from as much as three weeks to as little as a couple of days.
The purchase was originally budgeted for 2025, but Mooney indicated the scuff marks have clearly demonstrated the need to provide the vinyl sheets sooner.
As well as supporting re-allocation of $21,000, the board approved an agreement with Hack to Hack Solutions to supply the vinyl flooring sheets for a total cost not to exceed $21,000 including taxes.
Supportive of renting the curling rink in the off-season in order to diversify usage of CSRD owned properties with paying customers, Golden Mayor Ron Oszust questioned the impacts the re-allocation might have on members of the legion who meet on the second floor.
Mooney explained that staff has completed the first phase of the feasibility study and will hire an architect in order to be tender-ready in 2024.
“Putting it off for a year does not mean cancelling the project,” said Mooney. “And a stairlift is being installed this year.”
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