Goderich Memorial Arena, likely to reopen, but not as arena

A new plan has been put forward to reopen an arena in Goderich that’s been closed for months due to safety concerns. CTV London’s Scott Miller explains.

Safety and accessibility concerns prompted the closure of Goderich’s famed Memorial Arena this January. But there’s new hope that it will reopen.

“I’m hopeful that you will see the Memorial Arena not as an arena, but as a community center moving forward in our community down the road,” said Goderich’s Mayor Trevor Bazinet.

A consultant’s report following extensive public input is recommending reopening Goderich’s Memorial Arena as a multi-purpose facility.

It will possibly be home to things like shuffleboard, basketball and indoor soccer, along with a community meeting and event space.

The initial price tag to reopen the facility is estimated to about $90,000. The price tag for a full repurposing of the former arena into a community centre is somewhere between $11 and $14 million.

“It’s a very difficult subject for everyone in town to confront. I love this old girl, everybody does. But we have to make financial decisions that are fiscally responsible,” said Goderich resident Steve Buchanan.

Buchanan would love to see the 75-year-old facility saved, but it can’t come at any price, he contends.

“Just half of that 14 million bucks over a five year period would require about 178 bucks per citizens of Town of Goderich to finance just half of the 14 million bucks,” he said.

Bazinet said while Goderich council has not made a decision on the exact future of the town’s Memorial Arena that had been operating as a community centre since the ice was removed in 2018, he believes repurposing the existing structure sounds like the good plan.

“We’re not going to build something new. The structure of the current facility right now is fine. So, we’re going to continue on with that facility. There’s a lot of emotional attachment with that facility in the community. Can we change some things? Definitely. There’s a comprehensive plan that was provided a lot of amazing things that we can consider,” said Bazinet.

Buchanan believes if the repurposing plan becomes too expensive, demolishing the old arena is the next best option.

“If we can’t do that, then let’s turn it into housing. It’s a perfect spot in this neighborhood. Perfect place for housing. Overlooks a park. The province right now is in a position to help municipalities out to build more housing. So that’s the thing to do. But for God’s sakes, make a decision and stop spending money we don’t have,” he said.

Bazinet said Goderich council is currently waiting to hear back from numerous service clubs.

They’ve expressed interest in possibly raising funds towards a refurbished and repurposed facility before making a final decision on the future of the old Memorial Arena.

“I think it’s important to work with our service clubs. They’re the ones that are going to be using the facility quite a bit. And if we can form some type of partnership with them, then I think it’s a win win for everybody,” said Bazinet.