The Alvinston Optimist has a brand new plan to refurbish the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Arena and they’re headed to council to see if the municipality will support it.

The service club says the existing concession stand and washrooms need to be replace.

It first came up with a $1 million plan which would have completely renovated the structure, replacing the canteen, adding accessible washrooms and dressing rooms and renovating the lobby.

Municipal council did not have the cash for the project but did give the Optimist approval to apply for federal funding which became available. The request was turned down.

Now Optimist President Jamie Armstrong says the group hired architect Jordon/Cook to create a plan which can be phased in over a number of years as the funding is available. The plan itself cost $2,500.

“The main focus is the concession stand, washrooms and the pavilion,” says Armstrong as he stood before the plans at the Brooke-Alvinston-Watford Fall Fair. “The concession stand and the washrooms need to be replaced – that’s what’s driving this…The washrooms are 30 years old and are not accessible and we don’t have a pavilion so we’re always putting up a tent on Canada Day.”

The architectural drawings show the pavilion as well as a new lobby with large windows, the washrooms and concession stand right on the corner, facing the ball diamonds. “This could be a plan to sue for the future,” he added.

Armstrong says to build the new washrooms, concession stand and pavilion attached to the existing arena would take between $350,000 and $375,000.

The Optimist currently have the project listed on the Aviva website where the community project with the most votes receives between $50,000 and $100,000 from the group. Online voting started Tuesday.

Armstrong believes the community has a history of financially supporting local projects and he believes some of the money could be raised locally.

Armstrong brings the plan to council today (Thursday).