The Municipality of the County of Richmond is proceeding with repairs to Richmond Arena.
In approving a recommendation from its committee-of-the-whole, Richmond Municipal Council agreed to four recommendations from staff at last night’s regular monthly meeting in Arichat. This includes updated designs, as well as maintenance activities, conducting a building condition audit, and replacing the arena floor in the 2026-2027 budget.
CAO Troy MacCulloch explained that the audit will go beyond reviewing the condition of the roof, floor and refrigeration unit. He said if council wants to proceed with renovations to extend the life of the arena, they have to look at the entire structure.
Noting that a new facility is probably several years away, District 5 Councillor Brent Sampson said a recent building assessment of the 50-year-old arena showing it was in good shape means council will have to stomach putting money into the current facility for the time being.
While he’s heard comments about delayed openings of the Richmond Arena, District 1 Councillor Shawn Samson said he also hears many positive comments about the great condition of the ice, that many residents don’t want to lose their arena, and residents don’t want to be without an arena while a new facility is under construction.
District 3 Councillor Brian Marchand said he wants to proceed as soon as possible with preparations and pre-ordering so renovations can start in the summer of 2026.
In response to a question from Marchand about the timeline, the CAO said staff is working to meet those deadlines.
Deputy Warden Amanda Mombourquette added that work to replace the floor is estimated at around $1.5 million.