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Wednesday, February 19 • 2014
Vol. 6 • Issue 67
Arts groups seek more city funding Page 2
Board asks for budget input Page 14
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Bad blood with Border Bruins Nelson Leafs leading scorer Jamie Vlanich takes out his frustrations on Grand Forks Border Bruins forward Dakota Kittle during Friday night’s 6-4 victory. The Leafs’ final game of the season is a first-place showdown on the road against Beaver Valley on Saturday night. See story on Page 21. Kevin Mills photo
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Nelson aquatic centre needs further upgrades
$4.5 million to fix pool GreG nesterOFF
Nelson Star
On the heels of receiving a new $600,000 ceiling, Nelson’s aquatic centre may be in line for more major upgrades. Even before some ceiling tiles collapsed last year, resulting in a closure of over six months, the recreation commission identified many other deficiencies in the nearly 40-year-old building. Now regional district staff are trying
to figure out how best to pay for the upgrades, which are expected to cost up to $4.5 million. “We are trying to make sure we carry this out in the best interest of the community from a usage point of view and also a tax burden point of view,” rec commission chair Ramona Faust told 103.5 The Bridge. “There is a list of things that needs to be done to preserve the integrity of the building and functionality of the equipment.”
Faust said they hired an architect as well as electrical and mechanical firms who found numerous problems with the building, including corrosion and a heating and ventilation system on its last legs. “Numerous upgrades or repairs [are required] in the facility’s workings,” Faust said. Any cracks in the concrete walls or pool are also expected to be fixed. (Before its partial collapse, the ceiling hadn’t been identified as a priority.)
Faust said while it may surprise some that so much remains to be done after last year’s closure and less than a decade after the new arena opened, not everything was attended to at those times. Other problems are just the sign of an aging and well-used facility. She added the fixes would “definitely” be paid for through borrowing, but the repayment period hasn’t been determined, despite a motion last month Continued on Page 3
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