Wawa Municipal Council’s considered a report on arena ice installation.
Community Services and Tourism Director Alex Patterson explained the report was partly intended to explain the fourteen-day process for making ice - saying that timeline does include "buffer days" to accommodate problems - and he noted humidity issues continue to pose a problem during ice making due to outside temperatures and weather in September - Patterson recommended a study to determine the best way to address the issue.
Councillor Pat Tait stated he believes the "root cause" to be the arena's dehumidifiers, though Patterson likened them to a bilge pump which could address the symptom but suggested there may be a better way to address the issue, which could include redoing the arena's insulation.
Tait also suggested the 14-day timeline for ice making could be cut down by using shifts, and suggested Patterson's recommendation for a study be folded into the Community Centre modernization project proposed in a funding application made to the provincial and federal governments earlier this month, with Mayor Ron Rody agreeing staff should be directed to include that, as Patterson agreed the proposal was broad enough that it could do so.
During the discussion, Councillor Mitch Hatfield emphasized that she didn't want anyone to forget why we have the arena, pointing to kids and the community.