Lloydminster’s brand new state-of-the-art arena is working towards completion.
Construction has now entered the winter months and much of the work is now indoors. The end of the last quarter saw some more procurement being done.
“Q4 2024 concluded with the Wayfinding signage contractor procured, Cowan Graphics Inc of Edmonton was awarded the interior wayfinding signage contract for the project,” said Joel Turcotte, director of recreation and cultural services at City of Lloydminster at the Feb. 10 Governance and Priorities Committee meeting.
The project team is currently working on the tender for the kitchen equipment, which will be procured in Q1 of 2025. They are also working on procurement timelines for furniture, fixtures and equipment.
Construction has been ongoing month after month.
Roof insulation was completed on the low roofs on the north and east sides of the building in October. On the exterior of the building, insulated metal panel installation was completed. The exterior steel stud and drywall was completed as well.
The hard landscaping contractor completed the first asphalt lift in the southern portion of the parking lot. The rest of the exposed parking lot was winterized and will be paved in the spring.
Major mechanical and electrical equipment has been delivered to the site and are being moved to their final locations. Concrete sidewalks have been poured along the west side of 39 Ave. Gas lines were completed and connected to the building by ATCO Gas.
November marked the completion of insulating all the low roofs and starting to insulate the community rink roof. The glass contractor began preparing to install glass. Painters substantially completed walls in dressing room areas surrounding the event area.
As December and January rolled around major milestones were marked.
“Some milestones done, in October we had the structural steel and metal decking, in November finish trades mobilized to site, in December concourse and suite level framing complete and January the event arena pad pour,” said Turcotte.
Work continued in January on the event arena pad, preparing for the pour that took place at the end of the month.
Turcotte also spoke about sponsorships and clarified the length of investment.
“The only note I will make, is they’re all 10-year sponsorships, except Cenovus Energy is a 15-year commitment,” he said.
Turcotte shed some light on upcoming fundraising events.
“A few upcoming events I should speak of, we’re hosting a radiothon on April 9. Planning has begun and is going well and our annual golf tournament will be on June 26,” he said.
Coun. Jim Taylor asked about specifics of user groups leasing the facility for use and if there had been any signed for the new arena.
“The Bobcats will need to move, we’re having really good discussions with the Bobcats. There’s one or two items we’re still discussing, but things are going really well, I’d say that’s true with all our tenants right now. Some of them have different questions, some things we’re working through for the most part. The draft agreements we have with them are going extremely well,” said Turcotte.
Taylor asked if there were other assets available to sponsor.
“We’ve been working really hard to make sure we don’t have too many logos, we’ve heard that issue in the community before with the Civic Centre,” said Turcotte.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers said the conversation about raising money will soon shift.
“Today we’re still talking sponsorship, soon, we’re going to be talking donations,” said Aalbers. “If somebody wants to make that $1,000 donation, $5,000 from a business, they will get recognition. We haven’t focused our energy maybe as much as where the sponsorship has been at this point.”
“I think that distinction between the donation and the sponsorship is really important and we’re starting to walk across that bridge now,” said Coun. Michele Charles Gustafson.
She said it’s important people understand the story of why this arena is important to help garner donations.
Diachuk said people will hear the story through the radiothon on New Country 95.9.
“One of the challenges, and building on what you’re saying, the city can’t be a not-for-profit group. It really limits our flexibility and ability to do some of the things we would like to do. Relative to telling a story, that’s kind of the intent behind the radiothon. We will have people talking about their experiences or their stories,” he said.
Fundraising efforts are ongoing and the team is working to secure sponsorships for the remaining assets. Available sponsorship opportunities include outdoor arena naming, parking lot signs, water filling station branding and dressing room naming.
Read more: Cenovus Energy Hub construction update
Why don t we take alberta share and build a health care center time forNEEDS not WANTS time to grow up n quit playing games when many NEEDS get put to the side