After several years of research and planning, the Municipality of Boissevain-Morton has selected a site for a new arena complex and is forging ahead with planning. The future facility will be located in Boissevain’s east side where the existing outdoor rink is located on Egan Street. The main components being considered as part of the proposed facility include an ice rink, walking track, and a multi-purpose room.
BACKGROUND
Boissevain’s Agricultural Arena is one of the oldest in the province. Built in 1960, the facility is showing its age and the need for ongoing repairs continues. The Boissevain Arena is known as the community’s social hub during the winter months as it hosts a variety of ice sports for all ages. In the summer, the arena hosts a multitude of events including the Boissevain Fair, 4-H Rally Day, flea markets, and auction sales.
The Municipality of Boissevain-Morton has been busy planning for the future of recreation and leisure in Boissevain. Specifically, they have focused on the community’s need for a new arena, swimming pool, ball diamonds, and soccer pitches. Head of Council for the Municipality of Boissevain-Morton, Judy Swanson, explains, “The reality is that our community’s recreation facilities are extremely old and will not be able to operate for long”.
Recreation Director, Samantha Dyck, explains that a new recreation facility would also bring possibilities for new programming and services. “With a new facility, we could expand our recreation programming to include things like floor hockey, youth summer programs, pickleball, coaching clinics, and so much more. The current condition of our existing arena restricts what is possible and what can be done safely in the building”.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
The need for new recreation infrastructure will require significant funding and the municipality is conscious of the fact that investing in new infrastructure will be costly. Over the past 3-5 years, considerable effort has been made by council and administration to strengthen the municipality’s overall financial position.
Chief Administrative Officer, Leo Poulin, explains the situation: “The municipality was in a significant negative cash position in the past, and so we have strategically rolled out a financial plan to rectify this”. These efforts have proven to be successful. “We have improved the overall financial position of the municipality by $3 million”.
This financial success will aid the municipality in their efforts to invest in the community’s future. “We have worked hard to obtain our current financial position and know that we must continue this work so we can carry out these future projects,” states Head of Council, Judy Swanson. “We are also working on plans to minimize the tax impact for our rate payers”.
FUNDING THE NEW ARENA
To minimize tax impact locally, funding from the federal and provincial governments are essential in the development and construction of new recreation facilities in Boissevain. In the fall of 2019, the municipality submitted a grant application to the “Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program” (ICIP) – a joint multi-governmental program – for the development of a new recreation complex. This particular fund would potentially cover up to 73% of the total eligible costs of such a project. “Council committed their support to this funding opportunity which would be instrumental in turning our vision into a reality,” states Swanson. “Planning for our community’s future is an important priority for us. The funding from the federal and provincial governments is essential to our progress.”
CURRENT PROGRESS
The Municipality was awarded a provincial grant through the “Building Sustainable Communities” program in 2019 and has been working with HTFC Planning and Design to develop a “Recreation Redevelopment Plan”. The project included reviewing research and communication pieces from the Boissevain New Facility Steering Committee, a 2018 Feasibility Study and the 2019 Quality of Life Survey. In addition, user groups and community organizations were consulted with for their input and future needs.
Following site location research for 12 potential options, it was narrowed down to three locations and a more in-depth exploration of each. Recently Council chose the location for a new facility, in Boissevain’s east side at the corner of South Railway and Egan Street where the existing outdoor rink is. This location was chosen based on being located within the community and the downtown, the opportunity to develop infrastructure and activity in the neighbourhood, and that the land is owned by the municipality.
A base facility design has been proposed, and includes an ice rink, walking track and a multi-purpose room. The project also identified the need for a campground expansion, new pool, and additional soccer pitches and baseball fields to meet future planning needs. The re-purposing of the existing Boissevain Arena and a new outdoor rink was also included. The Recreation Redevelopment Plan project is currently nearing completion.
NEXT STEPS
Moving forwards additional work will go into refining the proposed layout and design of the facility and determining costs. Securing funding and fundraising will be essential in making the new community facility a reality. The Municipality will be forming a Building Committee and a Fundraising Committee and seeking input and assistance from the community.
FINAL THOUGHTS
“The Boissevain Arena is deeply rooted in our community’s history,” states Swanson. “Generations of families have spent countless hours creating memories here”. The future of recreation and leisure in Boissevain-Morton is looking bright, but requires assistance provincially and federally. Swanson summarizes, “There are some very exciting initiatives on the horizon for Boissevain-Morton, and I am very pleased with the work that has been done so far. Our aging infrastructure requires our immediate attention so that future generations may create memories that will last a lifetime.”
GET INVOLVED
Want to be a part of this exciting community project? Have a great idea for a fundraiser?
Contact Kara Paradis at Phone number: 204- 534-2433 or Email address: admin@boissevain.ca.
QUESTIONS
If you have questions or for more information, please contact:
Judy Swanson, Head of Council
Phone number: 204-305-0883 Email address: jswanson@boissevain.ca
Municipal Office
Phone number: 204-534-2433 Email address: admin@boissevain.ca