New ice plant coming for Ponoka Arena

Town officials say the new ice plant also offers major safety advantages because it will be housed in an exterior building outside of the arena and requires significantly less ammonia to operate than the old ice plant.

With the arena having been shut down for the past two months due to provincial health restrictions, which aren’t expected to be lifted before the end of the regular ice season, Town staff will begin removing the ice from the arena this week.

“This will allow us to accelerate the installation of the new ice plant and the removal of the old one so we can be ready to reopen the Arena to ice users by August 1 – more than a full month earlier than we normally reopen. This will provide our sport user groups with considerably more ice time at the start of the next season,” said Jones.

“We’ve consulted with our ice user group representatives and they’ve told us they understand our decision to begin removing the ice this week. Many have also told us they’re excited by the opportunities that the new plant offers to expand our season and provide extra ice time in August.”

While the new ice plant is being installed, the Arena will undergo annual maintenance improvements and repairs, including plexiglass replacement around the ice surfaces, painting beams above the ice, board repairs, board advertising touch ups and replacements and concrete slab repairs.

Town officials note that the new ice plant is a mobile system that can easily be moved as needed to service a new recreation multiplex (Community Wellness Centre) in the future.

by Troy Gillard

New ice plant coming for Ponoka Arena

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