Plywood patches up AWG arena

Iqaluit’s Arctic Winter Games Arena has a new floor. You may not be able to skate on it, but it’s good enough for bingo.

Plywood planks now cover up the gaping hole in the rink surface, which was dug up to get a better look at the building’s waterlogged foundation.

The temporary fix costs $31,600. The city has applied to use $9,000 from the $100,000 in Community Initiatives Programs funding they are eligible to receive each year.

“We can have bingo and rent the space out. It’s a small price to pay,” said Kim Rizzi, the city’s economic development officer.

The Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce picked up the rest of the cost, mostly through in-kind labour provided by its members, according to Rizzi.

A permanent fix is expected to cost $750,000, according to consultants hired by the city.

That would involve building a new foundation supported by metal posts. The building rests on a soupy mess of mud and rock, which has caused it to sink unevenly for years.