Monday, May 09, 2016

Soil Testing for Arena Happening

Posted on 5/9/2016 6:42 AM by Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM
Testing the soil conditions will be the first step for the new arena being added to Kal Tire Place.Doug Ross, Vernon's Director of Recreation Services, says it will involve drilling holes into the north end parking lot, which will affect the current site of the twice-weekly Farmer's Market. "While that work is being done certainly the farmer's market won't be able to be there. If it's determined we need to do pre-loading on the site, the farmer's market will be asked to move further north in the parking lot." Ross says they have an agreement with RDNO to provide a building with 400 seats -- with a fixed budget of 13 million dollars. "We actually have more than that available to us because if you took the money we have in the Civic Arena reserve fund and the $25,000 we received from minor hockey we actually have $13.8 million dollars." Ross says there's a lot of steps involved before construction can begin. "What we're entering into now is the design phase. This phase will likely take 8-9 months, so we are hoping to be able to go out and start looking for a building contractor sometime around the beginning of the new year."Ross says the project manager MQN, is still lining- up the geo-technical testing, with no dates set as yet.
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Arena Construction Likely in 2017
Posted on 5/9/2016 5:59 AM by Pete McIntyre

Local government will have a little extra to spend on the new arena at Kal Tire Place -- if it's needed. Doug Ross, City of Vernon Recreation Services Director, says they have an agreement with the Regional District of North Okanagan to provide a minimum standard of building with 400 seats -- with a fixed budget of 13 million dollars. "We actually have more than that available to us, because if you took the referendum into consideration, the money we had in the Civic Arena reserve fund, and the $25,000 we got from Minor Hockey, we actually have closer to $13.8 million, but we are going forward with a $13 million budget right now," Ross tells Kiss FM. Ross says testing of the soil will be the first process for the site -- where holes will be drilled into the parking lot -- but no dates have been set for that by MQN Architects which is overseeing the project.. He says the Vernon Farmer's Market will move to the north part of the parking lot, when that is taking place. "They've chosen to stay in their current location until we start work on the parking lot. Once that's underway, they've decided they are going to move further north in the parking lot and take up the new location," says Ross. Ross says there's a lot of steps before construction of the second arena will start. "What we're into now is the design phase, which will probably take 8 to 9 months. We're hoping we will be looking for a contractor sometime around the beginning of the new year." The target for completing the facility is the fall of 2018.

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