Quesnel's West Fraser Centre is receiving repairs and an expanded concession.
Staff outlined two options to the North Cariboo Joint Advisory Committee at the meeting on June 11, 2024. The first option was to expand into the foyer of the arena, the second was to expand into the Dunkley Room.
Staff estimated an expansion into the foyer would cost $267,090 and expansion into the Dunkley Room would be $332,275. The committee voted to expand into the foyer.
A fire in the concession damaged it in February, requiring the CRD is taking a cash insurance payout estimated to be $195,500. Staff estimates all of the funding will be required to go towards repairs and equipment replacements from the fire. The high cost of repairs is because water damage soaked the concession and areas around it from stairwells to washrooms to ceiling tiles.
Jeff Norburn, Quesnel's director of citizens' services, said repairs on parts of the arena damaged by water from the sprinkler system is already underway.
Norburn said it's not known when construction on the expansion will begin as the committee has applied for a grant from the Northern Development Initiative Trust to fund $100,000 towards the arena.
"A final decision likely won't happen until near the end of July," he said. He added if the grant is successful, construction won't be able to start until all of the necessary paperwork is filled out. "One hundred thousand dollars is a significant potential contribution towards the project so even though it will potentially delay the opening of the concession it is a significant amount of funding."
One of the concerns staff raised about that option was it would remove space people could wait in line for the concession, but staff added with more efficient queuing that problem could be lessened.
The report also noted expanding the foyer would have less disruption for Quesnel's new Junior A team, the Quesnel River Rush, than expanding into the Dunkley Room.
Norburn said they are already looking into food options for fans for the start of hockey season and other events at the West Fraser Centre.
"We'll be working to do the best we can to make sure is some form of food services available to people, what exactly that looks like we're still working on," he said.
The addition to the concession will bring in a grill and deep fryer to give folks more access to their favourite arena foods while watching a game.