ELORA – The future of the multi-use pad in Bissell Park now hinges on the township receiving a grant from the province’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF).
Its past, however, has been fraught with challenges as the site is situated on a slope, the options are almost endless, and the cost of fixing the crumbling asset have been rising with each passing year.
The multi-use pad, built on the foundation of a former factory, offers free, drop-in recreation year-round.
Volunteers flood the pad in winter, making it a very popular and well-used outdoor skating rink.
And in summer it’s been used for basketball, yoga, stroller fit, puppy training and other casual uses.
The Elora Farmers Market, Riverfest Elora and the Centre Wellington Black Committee also use the pad and the Lions Pavilion beside it for some of their events.
The pad has been in disrepair for years.
The Elora Lions and Elora Rockers Sports Association joined forces and made a successful bid for Jack R. MacDonald funding in 2016 to revamp the site.
They found the property’s slope posed an engineering challenge that was beyond their expertise and in 2023, returned the money and the project to the township.
ATA Architects was hired this summer to examine the site and provide options and costing.
Township staff presented five options for how the pad could be reconstructed at the Oct. 15 council meeting:
- option one – replace the existing pad with a new one, no refrigeration, $677,000;
- option two – replace pad with a refrigerated pad and add buildings for mechanicals and equipment, no roof, $4 million;
- option three – refrigerated pad, buildings and roof over pad, $5.7 million;
- option four– refrigerated pad with beginners’ pad, buildings, $7.4 million; and
- option five – refrigerated pad with beginners’ pad and roof over both pads, $9 million.
All options would include accessible ramps and walkways from the main path in the park to the multi-use pad.
Staff recommended option three because as winters become warmer, refrigeration would extend ice time. A roof would also help preserve ice and add shelter from rain and sun through warmer months.
Staff proposed funding the project as follows:
- $373,195 from the MacDonald grant and funds raised by the Lions and Rockers;
- $28,208 from general capital reserves;
- $17,000 from donations;
- $700,000 from a proposed top-up in the 2025 budget; and
- $2.8 million from the CSRIF grant.
That would leave $1.8 million to be raised through naming rights, sponsorship and donations.
Proceeding with any of the options is contingent on receiving the grant.
Staff sought direction from council to proceed with the grant application and approval of option three.
Five delegations spoke to council at the meeting and most urged council to refrigerate the pad and pursue the grant.
But Elora resident Laura Carrie thought the pad should not be refrigerated, as creating artificial ice is harmful to the environment and contributes to climate change.
“The byproduct of cooling is heat,” she said. “This is not fighting climate change … this is short-sighted.
“Flood the rink as long as possible, but show some environmental stewardship.”
Her son Macheo Carrie also delegated at the meeting.
He said in winter it’s hard to get on the ice unless you already know how to skate, as the pad is often monopolized with hockey.
And putting up boards makes the rink look like it’s solely for hockey, he added.
Macheo said the need for a sports dome in the township – for basketball and indoor soccer – is much greater than the need to refrigerate the pad at Bissell Park, and the cost of a dome is much less than what was proposed at Bissell Park.
“The cost is massive,” he said. “That money could be spent on more inclusive options.”
The sustainability argument struck a nerve with some councillors.
Councillors Bronwynne Wilton and Barb Evoy didn’t think artificial ice aligned with the sustainability pillar in council’s strategic plan.
Evoy and Wilton also thought the proposal should go to the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advisory committee before council made a commitment.
Councillor Jennifer Adams pointed out the proposal does meet two other pillars of the strategic plan: to create the conditions for economic prosperity and to improve the activity, health and wellness of the community.
Managing director of community services Pat Newson said there’s time to consult with the public and the DEI committee before final details are set, but the deadline to apply for the grant is looming.
In a recorded vote, Evoy, Wilton and councillor Kim Jefferson voted against option three with only councillor Lisa MacDonald and Adams in favour. So that motion failed.
A vote to proceed with option two – a refrigerated pad with no roof – passed with MacDonald, Adams and Wilton in favour and Jefferson and Evoy opposed.
So staff will submit a grant application based on option two and if not successful, will return to council for further direction.
Mayor Shawn Watters declared a conflict of interest on the matter due to his involvement with Riverfest Elora. He wasn’t present for discussion and did not vote.
Councillor Denis Craddock was absent from the meeting.
