Minden Hills councilor Brigitte Gall is hoping a new council will consider installing a pool at the arena instead of investing in reconstruction.
A recent engineer’s report said the cost to fix the arena was 2.4 million dollars. Gall says based on the Leisure Plan Pool Survey and information she’s heard from local businesses and residents, a pool would be a great benefit to the community. She says it’s an unfortunate opportunity as it would mean a hockey rink would no longer occupy the space. However, she says with a newly rebuilt arena only 20 minutes away in Dysart, it would make sense to install a pool.
She says with the amount of people who drive out of the county for swimming lessons, or recreation, they are buying groceries or getting gas in those areas, where they could be spending that money in Minden.
Gall also believes having a facility that would be open during the day would benefit local businesses and could be something the local schools could utilize.
Gall says this wouldn’t be a single person’s decision, but it something she will bring up to council when they sit down to discuss the arena.