ESTEVAN - The Bienfait Memorial Arena Board believes the venue could be the primary third ice surface for Estevan.
Board member Bill Mann appeared before Estevan city council on Sept. 9 to suggest that Bienfait's rink, which is owned by the Town of Bienfait, become Estevan's primary third ice surface. Secretary Daniyale Woolsey and recreation director Sara Yoner were also present. His request came the same night in which council approved the wording of the question for a non-binding plebiscite on the potential for a third ice surface in Estevan; the vote will occur during the Nov. 13 civic election.
Since the closure of the Civic Auditorium in 2017 and the venue's demolition a few months later, Mann said the Bienfait arena board has seen a lot of use by minor hockey and other recreational groups from Estevan.
"A lot of our revenue comes from those streams, so we thought it's only logical that in lieu of the City of Estevan undertaking a consideration for … $10-$15 million on another facility to meet their needs, and we have a service sitting 10 minutes away in the town of Bienfait, it could be, with a little bit of an investment, upgraded quite well to meet the needs of the city."
Mann noted the Bienfait arena committee has received an engineered budgetary assessment for facility upgrades. He concedes the rink is not the most attractive and the structure over the ice surface isn't in a good state, but they have plans for changes.
"What we really want to do is make that facility strong and good. Comfortable. So that when people are being sent to Bienfait with their kids, they feel like they're in a good surrounding," said Mann.
The existing "arch rib" shell above the ice surface would be torn down and replaced with a straight wall structure that is the same 120-foot width as the lobby. Mann noted the existing arch above the ice is approximately 90 feet wide. It is hoped the work can be completed in the offseason.
By making the area above the ice surface wider, it would allow them to add seating and dressing rooms on the east side, he said.
"We have a really good lobby for people to view the ice surface from, with good theatre seating, three rows deep in there," Mann told the Mercury and SaskToday. "But we don't have good seating … around the ice surface."
Mann said the mere structure expansion is estimated to cost $1.212 million, but more costs need to be assessed.
"If we decide to proceed with the initiative, rough estimates at this time lead us to believe our total developmental costs to be slightly over $2 million," said Mann.
The Bienfait Memorial Arena Committee has also upgraded the refrigeration plant, thanks to the support of businesses and municipalities, leaving it in what Mann called "very reliable working condition" for many years, and he believes the concrete slab is in good shape. LED lighting has been installed in recent years and that work will continue.
Bienfait's arena recently purchased the boards from the former Frobisher rink. They are about 10 years old, and were funded by the NHL. Glass and rubber matting were also secured. The lobby was expanded and renovated nearly 20 years ago.
The committee has reached out to the RMs of Coalfields and Estevan, and the Town of Bienfait, for their insight into whether this is a good idea. All three have voiced support, Mann said.
"We all know communities, when they lose major infrastructure, like a skating rink, a school, a hospital, a grain elevator, all these things diminish your ability to succeed as a community," said Mann.
He said Bienfait doesn't want to jump in front of neighbouring communities, such as Lampman and Torquay that also have arena users from Estevan, and Mann said if the city of Estevan wants to still support neighbouring communities, then they can.
Yoner pointed out Estevan Minor Hockey is charged $100 per hour for ice time.
Members of council expressed interest in the partnership but didn't outright support it. Coun. Travis Frank said the timing of the request is great because the plebiscite is coming and the third ice surface will be a conversation piece for the next council. He was also pleased to see talk of collaboration between neighbouring communities.
Coun. Kirsten Walliser said she believes the city can play a role in helping Bienfait identify other groups that could benefit from the facility, including lacrosse, figure skating, broomball and public skating. She would like to see the city help bring those user groups together as the conversation moves forward.
"There are a lot of user groups that don't feel like their needs are currently captured within the city of Estevan," she said.
Mann believes there is more support in Bienfait to work collaboratively with Estevan than there was 10 years ago.
He added he was "very happy" with the response from council and "encouraged" by the feedback.
"I thought there would be more resistance, but it was also positive feedback that I sensed," said Mann.
