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New Recreation Complex

Co-operative Place in Wynyard set to have ice laid in October

Aug 28, 2019 | 12:00 PM

The new recreation complex in Wynyard is in the final stages of being complete.

The complex, named Co-operative Place has just a few things left to get done before the ice goes in and it’s in full use.

“A lot of little things,” CAO Jason Chorneyko said. “Paint, they over sprayed paint and it got on windowsills, things like that, a bunch of little things.”

Chorneyko said there’s also a little bit more electrical and mechanical work that needs to be done as well, but they hope to have their substantial completion meeting by the middle of September. He said the minor work left hasn’t really affected the timeline too much as it will still be ready for the skating season. He said they weren’t really expecting it to be done in June.

“There’s nothing there, then all of a sudden there’s a building there,” Chorneyko told northeastNOW. “And then there’s another year of work because it’s all of the inside stuff that takes all the time to do.”

He added that in September, there will be a ‘cold start’ on the ice plant a few weeks before ice is officially laid to test the plant and make sure everything is working. Ice is then expected to be laid early in October, and by the middle of the month people will be able to skate on it.

Meanwhile, efforts to fundraise for the project continue and the Town of Wynyard is trying something a little different. For about the past year, people have been able to place bids on taking the first skate at the new arena. Bids for the skate have already reached over $2,000. Chorneyko said the idea came up from someone within the town and they weren’t expecting this much money already. He added that over the past year there hasn’t been a ton of interest prior to the arena being very close to completion.

“I think there is going to be some interest here,” Chorneyko said. “We’ll see how much fundraising we can do with that one.”

Those interested must send in their written bids to the town.

As for the total amount fundraised, Chorneyko said they are still working through some donations, including some that have agreed to donate over a few years. He said about 70 per cent of the project is going to be financed.

mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6

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