Kimberley city council will begin implementing several short-term recommendations next year after receiving a new strategy examining the future of the city’s ice facilities.
The Ice Facility Strategy report by Orange Crow Leadership (OCL) reviewed the long-term sustainability of the city’s two arenas and curling rink, looking at their age, condition, and how often they are used.
The primary changes being recommended include updating the recreation facilities rental bylaw, improving communication about arena closures and repairs with all user groups, reviewing the scheduling process, and making online ice booking easier.
The purpose of the actions is to increase ice utilization at both the Civic Centre and Marysville Arena.
Tim Reid, president of Orange Crow Leadership, explained Kimberley’s current ice utilization levels.
“From an ice utilization standpoint our perspective is that you are priced competitively, but your utilization is below what the market standard should be. This includes primetime ice as well as non-prime ice. Primetime ice is basically when people can use your ice, such as when most kids are out of school, and most families aren’t working. That is traditionally 4 o’clock until 10 o’clock and your weekend ice time. Non-prime would be the less desirable ice.” said Reid.
Reid follows up with why the utilization is on the low end.
“Right now your bylaw does not consider weekend ice prime time. From our position, we believe that’s the best industry standard, obviously weekend ice should be well used. In most communities your prime time ice should essentially be fully utilized, the target number would be 90 per cent.” said Reid.
The report found current ice usage is too low to justify operating two sheets of ice long-term, so the city will work with user groups over the next three years to increase bookings, aiming for over 90 per cent prime-time use.
“One of the questions that we were asked through this process is do we need to have two arenas. and The truth of the matter is you are a perfect 1.5 Arena city. You’re growing at a pace that is fairly quick. Both of your arenas have an opportunity to receive growth, but you’re too big to simply have one and you’re likely today too small to have two.” said Reid.
Reid also discussed who the primary users of the ice are and where improvements could be made.
“Your number one user of ice is Kimberly minor hockey, your number two is Kimberly skating club and I want to draw your attention to public skating at 14 perc cent of ice use. Not that public skating is a bad thing, in fact it means that you’re quite accessible to the public.” Reid said.
“But what I will say is you have a remarkable amount of public skating that shows up in primetime ice, which is somewhat untraditional. Because those are traditionally the hours of ice that are easy to sell and valuable. The reason that I highlight this is because your leadership team rightfully so, when there is availability in the schedule, will fill with public skating and public shinney. But you don’t want to be using primetime ice for essentially not revenue generated ice booking.”
If overall ice utilization increases, along with revenue generated from prime-time bookings, cost recovery for the facilities will also improve.
The short-term recommendations are expected to be completed using existing staff and will not require additional funding at this time.
Before the report was finalized, the city conducted a public engagement period where community members could provide feedback and recommendations.
Despite claims from some residents that the arenas are used mostly by people who do not live in or near Kimberley, Reid said there was no evidence supporting those claims.
“You very much serve your community, you’re meeting the needs of local residents, you’re meeting the needs of the taxpayers”. said Reid
Long-term enhancements, such as upgrading infrastructure focusing on safety and accessibility, ensuring partner leases are in place, and monitoring utilization and performance trends, may be developed and may be included in the 2027-2031 five-year financial plan.
“Most of your facilities from an accessibility standpoint, just given the age of them, have opportunity for improvement. But would also highlight some of the safety items that were discussed with those priorities. As you look to put investments into those facilities or consider investment in the future, obviously safety should be top of mind”. said Reid
If usage does not improve by 2030, the city may need to reconsider investments, operations, or other possible uses for the facilities.
Council held a lengthy discussion and raised several additional ideas. Coun. McBain said a broader conversation about municipal facilities is needed.
“I think this is just one piece of the puzzle that needs to be integrated into a broader facilities discussion. Whether we just renovate the civic centre, and then make a multi purpose other use type of thing. If you look at the other facilities that need replacing in Kimberley, we are talking about Firehall City Hall, Library, among others, I see a lot of opportunity there, maybe it’s long term, but I think there’s opportunity there.” said McBain.
McBain also discussed potential opportunities related to relocating facilities.
“The one thing we’re not talking about is the area that these current facilities are on right now are pretty prime real estate. and if one of them were to be demolished and moved to somewhere else, there’s a huge opportunity for nonmarket change, gains that we could make. Whether that’s commercial, industrial or residential space. So I think what needs to be brought into the conversation too is not only about moving one thing to another but the question of what could we use that existing land that it’s on for.” said McBain.
Council agreed to move forward with a resolution directing staff to implement the 2026 recommendations and to develop an implementation plan for the remaining recommendations for possible inclusion in the 2027-2031 five-year financial plan.
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