Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 01/01) - Years of indecision are scheduled to end today as city council decides what type of arena to build on the Yellowknife Correctional Centre site.

On Monday, a council committee recommended the construction of a phased twin-pad arena with a full shell -- one complete ice surface under a roof that could accommodate a second pad, which would be added later.

Council can either accept that recommendation or choose from two other options -- one rink without a roof for a second surface or a complete unphased twin-pad arena.

By a vote of three to two, the committee chose the single-surface, double-roof option because it would ensure the building of the second rink and it would motivate user groups to raise money and get the second one completed ahead of schedule.

"And if ice requirements evaporate it could be turned into a soccer pitch or other uses," said Coun. Dave McCann, who voted in favour of the shell option.

McCann, Robert Hawkins and Dave Ramsay all voted in favour of the shell option.

Councillors Wendy Bisaro and Alan Woytuik voted against the full shell, preferring just one ice pad now.

Bisaro said there are too many unanswered questions, such as how much seating is needed, to lay the footprint down for a second pad right now.

Woytuik didn't buy the pro-shell arguments either. "(The second ice pad) will be built anyway and it's not going to save us any money (by building the full shell)," said Woytuik.

A phased twin-pad arena with a full shell is expected to cost $10,689,250 by the time both ice pads are complete.

The estimated cost of the first phase with a full shell is $8 million. With only half a shell, the first-phase cost drops to $6 million.

However, waiting to build the second half of the roof will increase the total cost slightly to $10,756,000.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem, who didn't vote, said he supports the full-shell option.

"It gives us the greatest amount of flexibility," said Van Tighem.

"It gives us the best bang for the buck."

The first phase of the phased twin-pad arena with a full shell would be done by September 2002, with the second pad built by January 2005.

The completion date of the first phase with a half shell is the same as for the phased twin-pad arena, but then the second pad would not be finished until September 2005.