Council for the Rural Municipality of Hanover has announced plans to build a new arena in Grunthal. But, Reeve Stan Toews says a number of parameters must be met by January 1st, 2023 for this to happen.

A feasibility study was done concerning the need for new recreation facilities in the municipality. Options include building a new arena in Grunthal, a community centre in Blumenort or renovating the arena in Mitchell. Toews says the Grunthal arena is now tops on that list.

(Grunthal arena)Construction of the new arena is estimated to cost $11 million. Toews says this project will only happen if there is help from the upper levels of government. He notes they need one-third of the cost secured through a provincial grant, one-third of the cost covered by federal funding and then one-third to come from the municipality. Of that one-third municipal portion, one-third would come from local fundraising and the other two-thirds would be borrowed through a local improvement district.

Toews says the funding needs to be in place by 2023. If by January 1st of that year, the funding is not in place, the project will be re-evaluated and plans to decommission the existing Grunthal arena would be considered.

The plan now is to establish a committee which will include a council member, Grunthal arena board representative, RM of Hanover Facility Manager and RM of Hanover Recreation Manager. Toews notes they have not yet selected a site for construction.

Meanwhile, Toews says just because the Grunthal arena is the number one priority does not mean the projects in Mitchell and Blumenort are dead in the water. He says if parameters for the Grunthal arena are not met, the other two projects would move up in order. At this point, it is not known which of the other two projects is the greatest priority. Further to that, he says the other two projects can still happen, though the municipality will not be applying for grants for either.

Toews notes there was consensus from councillors that the Grunthal arena should be the number one priority because the facility is about fifty years old and showing its age.

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