Development to Push Forward on New Prince Albert Arena and Aquatics Centre By Gord Wiebe
May 2, 2021 | 11:06 AM
Prince Albert City Council will receive reports from Administration on Monday concerning the development of the Arena and Aquatics Recreation Centre. The reports recommend the approval of the Architects for the detailed design of the large 4500 seat Arena Event Centre and the purchase of another seven acres of land for additional parking on the site.
The conceptual design for the twin arenas and aquatics facilities was approved by City Council in March. Approval of the recommendations Monday will allow the project to proceed alongside the development of the twin arenas and aquatics project.
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Screen capture from PowerPoint presentation included in the Jan. 14 executive committee meeting agenda package. All three designs were included in the presentation, but architects and city administrators recommended using design three. Colour code: pool area (blue), rink area (orange), lobby (yellow), future community space (green), events centre (purple). The events centre is part of phase two. The rest is phase one.
Prince Albert City Council will vote on a plan to purchase another seven acres of land near the new Indoor Arena and Aquatics Recreation Centre when they meet for Monday’s regular council meeting
If approved, the City would pay $2.537-million to Signature Development Corp. for the property. That works out to around $362,500/acre. The City plans to develop a parking area with stalls for at least 1,214 vehicles for the proposed 4,500 seat Arena and Event Centre.
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Prince Albert Police Chief Jon Bergen speaks to media during a press conference in March 2021. (Peter lozinski/Daily Herald)
The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) is going ahead with plans for a new multi-year strategy that would see four additional police officers on patrol in Prince Albert focused on proactive policing and addressing local crime trends.
The plan will target property crime, gang activity and violence.
Following approval earlier this month by city council to fund four additional police officers through a new $35 base tax, the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners approved a proposal from the police service at their meeting on Thursday outlining a strategy to proactively address crime trends and problem addresses in our community.
Prince Albert City Council has boosted funding to community clubs in the hope the facilities can open the usual amount of outdoor ice surfaces with normal hours amid a particularly difficult year.
Director of Community Services Jody Boulet, told council the volunteer-run clubs are facing challenges operating because of COVID-19. He explained rinks now require supervision to ensure provincial COVID-19 guidelines are adhered to. There are also additional cleaning costs, at the same time revenue from indoor ice rentals has decreased.
In response, council voted to up the 2021 budget for community clubs by $20,000 to $396,960 during Thursday’s budget deliberations. The extra $20,000 will come from COVID-19 relief money given to the city by the provincial and federal governments.