The City of Cranbrook is marking the completion of the Memorial Arena roof repairs with a grand reopening on April 27.
The event is billed as a formal event “to recognize the contributions of more than twenty dedicated contractors and commercial businesses that supported the massive effort to save the Memorial Arena and have it reopened for the public and for users.”
The arena will open at 3 p.m and be open until 10 p.m. and will include food trucks, a beer garden and live music.
While the public is welcome, there is a maximum capacity of 1,000 people for safety and security, according to the city.
“Select user groups most directly impacted by the Memorial Arena closure have already been given early access to the facility as of this past weekend,” says Trevor Thors, Director of Recreation and Culture. “This event is meant to be a formal recognition of the contractors and businesses for their hard work to make the Memorial Arena safe for everyone, as well as to recognize the patience of the public and user groups while the major repairs were made.”
The Memorial Arena was abruptly closed last September, as deterioration in the glulam arches supporting the roof structure was discovered.
Following an engineer’s report confirming the viability of repairs to extend the life of the building, city council voted to move forward with a $3 million budget. The Regional District of East Kootenay also contributed $500,000 towards the project.
Active construction has been ongoing to repair and replace the Memorial Arena’s glulam beams since November. The arena is set to be fully reopened to the public after the grand reopening celebration.