Delta will spend up to $3.8 million to get the Ladner Leisure Centre fully open for business once again.
That's the total cost of repairs, as well as a few upgrades, according to a staff report discussed by Delta council Monday.
The stucco façade on the east side of the arena fell away from the wall in February after the anchoring system failed. The pool and fitness centre re-opened soon after, but the arena has only now opened to limited dry floor use.
Following the wall façade failure, structural engineers were brought in to assess the damage and the rest of the building. Since the entire façade is attached using the same fastening system that failed, engineers designed a retaining system to keep the other walls in place, but it's since been decided the remaining façade needs to be replaced.
Delta will utilize further emergency provisions in its purchasing policy to get quotes for subcontract work to begin an extensive remediation of the facility, including replacing the façade with a metallic finish. Other works include removing the old water slide tower, upgrading the refrigeration room and dehumidification systems, new wiring and lighting as well as a new score clock.
The pool portion of the building will be covered with stone veneer cladding and new signage will be added as part of a major cosmetic facelift.
To speed things along, the firm contracted to manage the ongoing emergency repairs will be hired immediately for the remediation project. The upcoming fees are to be reviewed independently to ensure consistency with industry standards.
Several groups and events have been displaced due to the collapse but what could prove costly for Delta is not being able to live up to its contract to allow its biggest tenant, the Vancouver Giants junior hockey team, from starting on-ice activities in mid-August.
Noting it could cost the municipality up to $10,000 a week to accommodate the hockey team and other organizations in other arenas, Delta CAO George Harvie stressed time is critical. If everything goes to plan, ice can come into the arena by Aug. 15 with total completion of the facility's renovations by Nov. 10.
The money to pay for it all will come from various sources, including an insurance reserve and some capital projects being delayed, but there won't be any borrowing.
"It's important to emphasize that there will be no need to draw additional taxes from our community," Harvie said.
Coun. Robert Campbell said the new-look leisure centre won't be a brand new facility but will be much upgraded, including becoming more energy efficient and having external video cameras.
The ice arena portion of the building was built in 1976. It was expanded to include the pool in 1992 and the fitness centre in 2004.
