Town of Bentley exploring Arena upgrades

BENTLEY -- The Town of Bentley is looking to make improvements to the Bentley Arena.

According to a staff report, concerns have been raised about the operation of the arena's slab and ice plant, and what's being described as their "imminent failures". Staff note that the arena slab has had problems in the past, and due to the significant cost of a full replacement, only a partial replacement from the end of the faceoff circle to the East end boards was done in 2007.

Staff say the partial replacement has continued to cause issues with the separate sections of the slab moving differently, and causing significant difference in elevation between the two pieces of slab. The movement in the slab is between 2" and 3" and has resulted in a crack opening in the slab along the line of movement, which is causing additional cracks forming in the new slab.

The matter was first tabled for discussion in November, with Bentley council moving to pursue the upgrades to the arena's slab as well as it's boards and glass. For the total cost of the project, council set aside $1,350,000. Following the RFP process, administration selected a bid coming in at $1,252,670.57 plus GST to complete the arena upgrades. Through a possible grant from Lacombe County, it is possible that some of the cost of the project could be alleviated.

The Bentley Arena was first constructed in 1965 and supports a multitude of community activities, including the Bentley Farmers Market, The Curling Club, Bentley Minor Hockey, The Bentley Rodeo, Parkland Hockey League, Bentley Skating Club, Bentley School Hockey Academy, and a variety of other bookings from organizations throughout Lacombe County, Red Deer, and Sylvan Lake.

The building is noted as an important asset for the community which attracts tourism and supports the local business community.