From left to right: Stewart Mitchell from the RM of Battle River; Wayne Semaganis, the BTC Tribal Chief; Ames Leslie, the Mayor of the Town of Battleford; Kelli Hawtin, the Mayor of North Battleford; Lorie Whitecalf, the Chief of Sweetgrass First Nation; Leon Lozowchuk, a Councilor from the RM of North Battleford, and Brad Swiftwolfe from the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition. (photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By battlefordsNOW staff

NEW ARENA TALKS CONTINUE

Regional leaders signed MOU to explore $80.2M twin-pad arena project

Apr 1, 2025 | 3:48 PM

Regional leaders officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Monday to advance discussions on the proposed $80.2 million twin-pad arena project, a move that could pave the way for a new regional events centre.

Read more – North Battleford weighs mutimillion-dollar cost of new arena versus renovation

The agreement, signed at a special Planning Committe’s meeting, brings together multiple governments and organizations, including the City of North Battleford, Battlefords Tribal Council, Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs, Battlefords Regional Community Coalition, Red Pheasant Cree Nation, Sweetgrass First Nation, the Town of Battleford, and the rural municipalities of North Battleford and Battle River.

Mayor Kelli Hawtin said the MOU formalizes discussions and provides a clearer picture of what lies ahead.

“Today we get some clarity on what the timelines are, what the cost is, what the project scope is,” she said. “Now we get together and say, ‘OK, how do we fund this? Are we ready and willing to put our pockets together to make this a reality for the region?’”

Camping

Sask. provincial parks campsite bookings start on Monday

44m ago

Green Shirt Day

Organ and tissue donation advocates ask Saskatchewan to wear green April 7

2h ago

LITTERED NEEDLES

Needle sightings typical during spring thaw, says city fire chief

Apr 05, 2025

A feasibility study, led by Nustadia Recreation, outlined a phased timeline for the project, with planning and due diligence set to last until 2028, followed by design and procurement through 2029. Construction and pre-opening services would extend to 2031, with the facility expected to open in September 2032.

The proposed arena would include a 2,500-seat main rink and a secondary rink with a 400-seat capacity. A single-pad alternative was also explored but deemed less feasible due to cost concerns.

While regional leaders consider a new facility, the city is also weighing the possibility of upgrading the existing Civic Centre. Renovating the aging facility is estimated at $14.1 million, with an additional $1.5 million contingency fund, extending its lifespan by at least 14 years.

City Manager Randy Patrick said the true cost of repairs could be over $20 million.

“The reason is that we don’t know when you get into the roof, the beams and stuff. We don’t know what shape those things are in,” he said.

“Until we start tearing it apart, we just don’t understand the actual cost.”

Patrick also warned that even after significant investment, the Civic Centre would still be outdated.

“Even when we do all of that, we have the same old building,” he said. “This isn’t to go and change the facility, the change rooms, out or anything else. All the stuff that should be done — this is the same facility that’ll last you 15, 20 years, whatever it’s going to be. It’s not going to be as long as a new building, and it certainly isn’t going to be as useful as a new building.”

The aging facility could also impact the city’s ability to attract major sporting events, he said.

“As a community, the regional community, if we don’t get some of the activities that are starting to go to other places, we will not be competitive. Getting hockey tournaments here will get much harder, because those other places have much nicer facilities. They have what’s being asked for and all those things are making a difference on our ability to attract.”

—

cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com