How much longer can the Civitan arena last?
[attach]932[/attach]The future of the aging Civitan arena has been called into question again, after an offer to build a community centre for Don Mills was narrowly shot down at city council.
Officials have been trying for years to replace the Don Mills and Lawrence area arena, which draws hockey, ringette, curling, speed and figure skaters.
David Croutch, president of the Civitan Don Mills hockey league, says the building has passed its best before date and is close to expiring.
“We are getting leftovers as spare parts,” he says, indicating that some of the arena’s repairs are being done with goods transferred from other arenas.
“The average lifespan of an arena is 30 years, and Civitan is approaching 50 years.”
During a tour of the facility, the age of the arena is evident. Despite annual painting and daily maintenance, many features are outdated.
The ceiling is covered in reflective tarp sheeting and the catwalks are weathered. The four change rooms have only eight showerheads among them. In 2008, an ice compressor failed, filling the rink with slush.
Croutch says the arena is subject to a leaking roof, heating and energy problems, and structural decay. It’s due to be re-shingled in 2015.
The arena is booked solid most days, reflecting the growth of Don Mills from a small community in the 1960’s to more than 25,000 residents in 2006.
A possible solution to the antiquated arena was almost in sight last month, depending on who you ask.
Developer Cadillac Fairview pitched a bid to develop condominiums as part of phase 2 of the redevelopment of Don Mills, and in exchange for rezoning approval, would build a $17 million dollar community centre.
Croutch supported Cadillac Fairview’s offer of a community centre, but area councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, who voted against the development, says the deal didn’t include guarantees of what would be built in the centre, only vague promises.
“There was no contractual obligation to put rinks in the community centre,” Minnan-Wong said. “But if there was an agreement reached on where the community centre would go, the Civitan arena would be gone in eight years.”
There have been other attempts to build a new arena that better serves the community.
Plans for a three-pad arena at Don Mills Rd. and Hwy. 401 were put on ice last year when the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority halted because the land in question is slated for environmental regeneration purposes.
Minnan-Wong says the city is reticent to put money into an arena with an uncertain future, but has to nonetheless.
“The city is trying to maintain an asset that has gone beyond its lifecycle, and the city’s duty is to continue to do that and look for a replacement.”
Croutch takes a different view.
“In essence the city has acknowledged that Civitan will be removed from the inventory,” Croutch said.