Saturday, November 18, 2017

Wrecking Ball En Route For Civic:

This was in Fridays Morning Star Newspaper:

Wrecking ball en route for Civic

Roger Knox

Morning Sta Staff

Nov. 17, 2017

Time has run out on the Vernon Civic Arena.

After reviewing numerous options, council decided Tuesday to pursue demolition of the Civic Arena, the oldest such facility in the Okanagan which opened in 1938.

The move came after council received a structural building assessment and cost estimates associated with reusing the building.

“The reports indicated given the state of the 80 year old building, reuse would be technically challenging and very costly,” states the city in a press release. “The Civic Arena would require significant upgrades in order to repurpose it.”

Reports indicated that bringing the building into compliance with the Building Code to a basic shell building would be an estimated $11-12 million. New construction for the same basic shell facility would be $8-9 million. The estimates did not include any interior finishing or upgrades related to a future use.

Discussions about the future of the Civic Arena were sparked by the new ice surface expansion at Kal Tire Place (targeted opening date of Sept. 1, 2018). Once complete, the Civic Arena will no longer be used as an ice surface.

The Civic Arena hosted the 1956 Allan Cup Canadian Senior Hockey Championship (won in five games by the hometown Vernon Canadians), the 1978 Canadian Senior B Lacrosse Championships (won by the hometown Vernon Tigers) and the 1990 Centennial Cup Canadian Junior A Hockey Championship (won 6-5 in overtime by the hometown Vernon Lakers over the New Westminster Royals).

The old barn has also hosted rock concerts, boy scout ice jamborees, legendary basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters, and has been the permanent home of the Vernon Coca Cola Classic Pee Wee Invitational Hockey Tournament during the Vernon Winter Carnival since the tournament’s inception in the 1970s.

City staff are expected to outline a process for demolition early in the new year, including the salvage and reuse of materials, specifically the big timber trusses in the building, cost estimates for demolition and potential funding sources.

Council vetoed a staff recommendation to bring together a “diverse spectrum of the public, including youth and the tourism advisory committee,” and design a future park to be developed on the arena site.

“I think we should demolish the building, then wait. We’ve got enough to do. Actually, we’re behind; we’re overworked,” said Coun. Brian Quiring. “I don’t want to start another process or rush into anything here.”

Coun. Catherine Lord called for a public participation process.

“I don’t like designing a future park,” she said. “I want to leave that open to public participation, and not just specifically having the site as a park.”

Council unanimously supported Quiring’s motion to defer the site’s future for one year.

1 comment:

vipersdiehardfan said...

I do have some great Junior hockey memories from the old Vernon Civic Arena.

I started watching Junior hockey back in the Civic arena back as a young child. My dad started taking me to games and saw some great Vernon teams back in those days. I sat in the same seat for close to 16 years and had season tickets for 10 straight years before changing over to the brand new Multi Plex.

I saw alot of great games played at the Civic, my all time favorite game that I watched was the 1990 Centennial Cup no doubt about it!! When Cam Sylvn scored the breakaway OT winner, that place was going nuts!! I also remember some great hard fought playoff matchups with the Humbolt Broncos back in the late 80's, and a few with the Richmond Sockeyes back in 1987 and some classic playoff hockey vs New West back in 1989 & 1990. Another great playoff series was just not to long ago with Vernon/Merritt back in 2000, what a game 7 series that was. I saw both the Lakers & Vipers win a few BCHL, Doyle Cup & Mowatt Cup Championships on home ice back in the day. My favorite games were always when the Kelowna Packers/Spartans were in town, that old barn was packed & rocking. That rivalry was one of the best in my mind. After Kelowna left the league and got a WHL team it wasnt the same. Penticton was always our 2nd best rivals and those games wernt to bad.

Some of the games I also remember the most are was the bench clearing brawl with Penticton back in 1994, that was crazy. I also remember when the Vipers broke almost every record going on to win the royal bank cup but were the 1st team in 35 years (I think it was 35 yrs) to lose to Kimberly in OT. I also remember that game when the fire alarm went off, cant remember who we were playing but no one moved, the game went on and seriously everyone didnt buge, haha now that was funny. I remember during a game with Nanaimo and something was wrong with the ice near the penalty boxes, it was about halfway through the 3rd period, dont remember the score but they cancelled the game and when Vernon played in Nanaimo later that year they started the game by finishing off the last 10 mins or so of the 3rd period with the same score, then cleaned the ice and played the regular game right after. That was one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. I remember watching Prince George for the Mowatt Cup and Vernon scoring a goal, the ref signaling it a goal. Both teams go to center ice and within a few mins he waves off the goal, I couldnt beileive it. Those were the days. There are many more great stories but I could be here for ever.

I Civic Arena will always be home for me and always have special memories of the old rink. RIP