Hamilton staff planning on making $3.5-million upgrades to Chedoke Twin Pad Arena

“The proposed solution provides a reliable and feasible refrigeration solution with lower service costs and energy efficiency,” said Ellis.

In addition, the arena’s parking lot will also be improved, including new asphalt, improved drainage and stormwater management, and better accessibility, said Ellis.

She said the existing accessible parking space on the southern portion of the lot will also be upgraded to current city standards. Other improvements to the parking lot that will be considered include upgrading the lighting and existing signs.

“If we do it, we should do it correctly,” said Ellis. “It needs to be done.”

The cost estimate for the work, said Ellis, is about $2.5 million for the parking lot and another $1 million for the refrigeration equipment.

Ellis said staff are still working on a schedule that includes finalizing the design of the work, issuing tenders and awarding a contract. It is expected the project will be done in phases during the off-season possibly beginning in the spring and summer of 2025.

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• Dec 31, 1969
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• Dec 31, 1969
• Comments

Ward 14 councillor Mike Spadafora, who is also president of the Hamilton Kilty Bs junior hockey club, said he had no input on the city’s decision to upgrade the arena. He said staff have been discussing the need to improve Chedoke Twin Pad Arena for the last five years.

“It is being addressed because staff pushed to get it done,” said Spadafora.

Dawn Walton, manager of business support recreation, said staff are focused on Chedoke because if nothing is done to improve the facility, “the area will go down.”

The arena, built in 1993, has seen other improvements over the years, including replacing the chiller in 2006. The floor was also repaired after cracks were discovered when the old chiller was removed.

Ellis said a recent recreation master plan revealed the city needs to spend $350 million to upgrade its estimated 500 facilities. Yet, each year the recreation department has only about $7.3 million to spend.

“We don’t have the funds to address it,” she said.

The master plan forecasted the city has $19.2 million in annual capital spending from 2023 to 2032, with $12.9 million allocated to new assets.

Mountain resident Jack Boddaert, along with several other people of the 35 who attended the gathering, expressed some frustration the city had “all this planning but no money. Where is the money coming from?”

Boddaert suggested seeking funding from both the federal and provincial governments.

Other residents complained about the city’s high taxes, especially the proposed 14 per cent hike for 2024. Councillors approved the highest tax increase for 2023 since amalgamation at 5.8 per cent.

Spadafora was confident council will not approve such a high tax increase.

“It will be lower,” he said. “Will it be low enough in my opinion? No. I don’t know if all the councillors will want to make those hard decisions.”

He predicted the upcoming budget discussions scheduled to begin in the new year will be “hard” with the expectations that proposed cuts will impact programs and services.

“I think you will have to look at everything,” he said.