BEDFORD SITE FOR FOUR-RINK ARENA SELECTED

On Tuesday, Halifax Regional Council unanimously approved the new quad-pad arena project be built on Hammonds Plains Road (at the intersection of the future Gary Martin Drive).

“The Community Facility Master Plan has identified the need for additional ice surfaces in HRM as an early deliverable and short-term solution for the existing arena inventory crisis,” said Bedford Councillor Tim Outhit, “and I am thrilled the business case was made for the new quad-pad to be built in this area.”

The Hammonds Plains Road site was selected from proponents who responded to the Expression of Interest Call in January of 2008, and who subsequently were short-listed and invited to submit proposals through the Request for Proposals process to construct the arena.

HRM staff will now enter into negotiations with the winning proponent to set the parameters for the design, build and operation phases of the project. As owners of the facility, HRM will be responsible for the capital costs of construction and debt financing. The negotiation process is expected to take 2-3 months. Construction is slated to begin in Spring 2009 with completion targeted for Fall 2010.

This is the first short term step in a much longer term strategy to ensure HRM continues to meet the recreation needs of its citizens.

“Council’s unanimous decision is a positive move forward as the next step in the arena strategy and staff have been directed to research and analyse additional facility requirements,” said Mayor Kelly.

Contacts:

Mayor Peter Kelly, Halifax Regional Municipality, Phone: 490-4010, kellyp@halifax.ca

Councillor Tim Outhit, Halifax Regional Municipality, Phone: 229-6385, outhitt@halifax.ca

Paul Dunphy – Director of Community Development – HRM, Phone: 490-4933 dunphyp@halifax.ca