The Cobourg Memorial Arena will remain closed.
The Town of Cobourg made the announcement yesterday (Aug 26) that the arena, located at 206 Furnace Street, will not re-open for ice use.
On August 12, Cobourg council voted not to re-open the arena due to low utilization and significant future capital costs due to the aging infrastructure.
The arena was built in approximately 1949 with a portion rebuilt in 1952 after it was destroyed by fire.
Additions to the main building took place in 1992 and 1997, but this arena is not considered accessible by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, a statute enacted in 2005 in Ontario.
An assessment of the building was done last February as part of the town’s asset management plan, reviewing things like the mechanical, electrical, fire and life safety systems, AODA and code compliance.
Municipal buildings by law must be AODA compliant by 2025.
The report indicated that the Memorial Arena would require significant repairs and improvements that would cost at least $574,000.
Due to these factors, the Memorial Arena will remain closed permanently.
Town staff will begin to decommission the arena which includes the removal and proper disposal of the ammonia in the refrigeration system and will begin a process to determine potential future uses for the building.
The Town of Cobourg will continue to utilize both The Pond and The Bowl arenas located at the Cobourg Community Centre on D’Arcy Street.