There could be more ice time for Burnaby athletes this year.
Burnaby’s parks, recreation and cultural services department is looking at options for a new ice rink for the city.
The project was made a priority by council, according to parks director Dave Ellenwood, with amenity bonus funds earmarked for it.
“Hopefully we can get that done this spring and then start developing concept plans in the summer,” Ellenwood wrote in an email to the NOW.
The city has been planning to build another rink for years, according to Coun. Sav Dhaliwal, chair of the city’s parks commission.
“For a number of years now, we have been looking at the need for ice in the community,” he said, adding the city last assessed the need six years ago and determined they were short “half a rink.
“Since then, the population has grown quite a bit,” Dhaliwal added.
The commission has heard from ice skaters, ice and ball hockey players, and ringette players about the need for more ice, according to Dhaliwal.
The project is a priority because the Burnaby Lake arena needs replacing, he said.
“Before we can take that out of action, we need to have a new rink built,” he said.
Burnaby is looking at putting a new rink in the southern part of the city, close to Metrotown or Edmonds, according to Dhaliwal. The size and configuration are still in the planning stages.
Once the rink is built, the city would close and replace the Burnaby Lake arena, he said, adding they hope to do so at the same time as the C.G. Brown pool complex.
Burnaby has three arenas – Bill Copeland and Burnaby Lake, which are in the Central Valley area, and Kensington in North Burnaby.
In 2011, the Bill Copeland arena was upgraded with a portable wood floor, which was part of the original design for the centre.
