Blake Ellis/The Independent

They’ve signed on the dotted line. The Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Complex will see repairs to the ice surface and the plant after Brooke-Alvinston council approved an agreement with the provincial government on Nov. 13. The agreement outlines that the province will match the municipal contributions of Brooke-Alvinston dollar for dollar, up to $1 million, through the Community Sport and Recreation Fund. The maximum that would be available for the project is $2 million. 

“We are going to have a brand new arena when this is all done,” said Councillor Frank Nemcek, as he commented on the amount of money available. 

Council was concerned about when the tender will go out for the project, after Clerk-Administrator Janet Denkers indicated the tender will go out next March. 

“I feel the longer you wait, it is going to be crunch time and those tenders are going to be bigger and they (contractors) are not going to be as available,” said Councillor Jenny Redick. 

The municipality will ask the Spriet Engineering of London who is overseeing this project if the tender can be released sooner.

Fundraising plans are already taking shape. An arena floor project fund has been created through the Sarnia Community Fund and a contract fundraising and marketing assistant has been hired. 

Denkers said one of the ideas to have naming opportunities for various parts of the arena, as well as a sponsor wall. Names could be placed on the ice rink, auditorium, bar and kitchen, for example.

Councillor Don McCabe is not a fan of naming municipal facilities, as in reality, every tax payer in Brooke-Alvinston is paying for that building. 

Denkers clarified that it would still be called the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Complex. New names may be given to sections of the building.  Council gave its approval to naming plan. 

The project, which replaces the ice making equipment in the arena floor scheduled to be completed by the end of September 2026.