Upgrades and renovations could be on the way for several public parks and recreation facilities across Chatham-Kent.
Parks and Open Spaces Manager Jeff Bray will be presenting Chatham-Kent council with a long list of proposed projects that are up for approval with a combined estimated cost of $1.6-million. All of the money for the various projects will be pulled from lifecycle reserves.
The biggest chunk of the proposed spending centers on work at local arenas with an estimated $715,000 being set aside for a wide range of projects including maintenance, inspections, and some much-needed upgrades at facilities in communities all across the municipality.
The work at the Blenheim arena includes a canteen overhaul, citing that the current canteen and equipment are from 1976 and "in need of replacement."
Not much work is proposed at the arena facilities in Chatham. Aside from some routine structural inspections, the biggest projects on the list include repairs to the sidewalk at Erickson Arena and renovations to the public washroom at Memorial Arena -- that includes replacing toilets, urinals, and sinks due to age and wear.
Floor repairs are proposed at the arena in Dresden along with seat deck painting, dressing room washroom upgrades, and the construction of a new staff room to gain back boardroom for meetings.
The seat decks at Bothwell Arena are in line for a fresh coat of paint and the sound system is due for an upgrade while the flooring in the players' hall at the Ridgetown Arena is set to be replaced -- it's reportedly over 25 years old and wearing.
The Wallaceburg Arena isn't expected to need much work this year in addition to the $2-million worth of work that's already planned for the facility.
There are several projects on the list for Tilbury's rink including rubber flooring replacement in several dressing rooms, the installation of some lobby seating, and a new coat of paint for the dressing room ceiling.
Wheatley's facility rounds out the list with some planned work that includes purchasing new lobby seating and tables.
Parks, Pools, Halls also set for upgrades
After arenas, planned upgrades and renovations at parks facilities across Chatham-Kent are making up the next largest chunk of the proposed spending.
CK parks officials are hoping to spend a little over $520,000 on a long list of projects ranging from maintenance on the buildings that are located on existing parks facilities to renovations at various tennis courts, ball diamonds, and soccer fields.
You can find a list of the projects that are up for approval by clicking here.
Upgrades are also being proposed for Gable Rees Rotary Pool in Blenheim and the Sydenham Pool in Wallaceburg.
The projects at the public pool in Blenheim include new plastics lockers to replace the existing metal lockers that are rusting out and new sidewalls, patio doors and controls for the roof sliders, which are all over 18 years old.
At the Sydenham Pool, officials are proposing to regrout the pool tank and deck, replace the hot water supply for change room showers, replace the HVAC command centre, and replace the boiler controlling pool water temperature.
The work at those two facilities comes in at a price tag of approximately $366,000.
Several smaller upgrades are also up for approval at four halls and centres across the municipality.
That includes new folding chairs at the Brunner Centre in Thamesville, replacement of the cooling unit at Merlin Hall, replacing ceiling tiles and tables at Morpeth Hall, and door upgrades at the Ridgetown Senior Centre.
Those lifecycle projects have a combined estimated cost of $53,000.