Vernon considers repurposing aging Civic Arena

After hosting countless hockey games and other events, Vernon’s Civic Arena is near the end of its useful life as a skating rink.

The city is set to add a new ice sheet to Kal Tire Place by next fall, replacing the aging Civic Arena, which dates back to 1938.

Vernon council is considering the future of the arena. It has asked city staff to look at what it would cost to repurpose the building or build a new facility.

Mayor Akbal Mund floated a number of options that could be considered for the site, including a museum, art gallery, sports facility or market.

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Previous plans have envisioned the arena being turned into a park that would add more green space to the city’s downtown.

It isn’t clear how much it would cost to fix up the aging building.

“We are going to have to look at the drainage issues along the foundations, we are going to have to look at the cracks in the wall, we are going to have to look at what the actual cost is of just keeping that structure,” Mund said.

City staff will come up with a report on possible options and costs.

The mayor expects a decision on the future of the Civic Arena by the end of the year.