Fredericton councillors vote to keep aging York Arena open

City councillors in Fredericton have voted unanimously to pay millions of dollars in safety upgrades to keep the aging York Arena open.

City staff had recommended that the arena be shut down for at least a year to see how recreational ice programs would manage on five city surfaces, instead of six.

However, close to 100 people visited council chambers on Wednesday to show their support for keeping Fredericton’s oldest arena open.

“A lot of other people played there when they were younger and it’s a really special place,” says eight-year-old Nolan McGinn, who plays hockey at the arena.

“He scored his first goal there, my father scored his first goal there,” says McGinn’s father, Mike. “I didn’t score my first goal there, I don’t think I scored very many, but he loves that ice. That ice is known as being the best around. I’ve never skated on better ice.”

City staff say the arena will need about $2 million in renovations, plus another million over the next 10 years.

Deputy Mayor Eric McGarity says it comes down to upgrading what’s already in place.

“We’ve got two new arenas and if you come back and talk to me in two years, we’re going to be putting a lot of money into them too, so you don’t just walk away from them. There’s ongoing maintenance,’ says McGarity.

It is unclear when renovations will begin.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore