Council approves $350,000 for Kinsmen Community Arena chiller
Red Deer city council has unanimously approved a budget amendment to provide up to $350,000 in funding towards a new chiller installation at the Kinsmen Community Arenas.
The chiller is a piece of equipment that cools brine water to create and maintain the ice for the rinks at the facility. Given the number of sports organizations that use the location in the fall and early winter, administration brought the issue before council as an urgent matter.
In the August 6 regular council meeting, it was approved that the funds are to be taken from the Capital Projects Reserve. This reserve is designed for this kind of maintenance and repair work to City assets, CFO Ray MacIntosh explained.
The current balance of the Capital Projects Reserve is around $18 million, which may seem high, however the magnitude of the projects relying on that pot can utilize it very quickly, he said.