HyLife Centre gets $1.28-million ice plant replacement

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/02/2024 (363 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The arena in La Broquerie is as busy as ever, and approval of a new ice plant aims to keep it that way.

Council approved the contract with Prairie HVAC in the amount of $855,454 plus electrical and heat recovery with a total project cost of $1.281 million.

“Our current plant is over 40 years old, and it’s just not running as efficiently as it should be. And we’re just being proactive instead of just waiting for it to formally break down and being stuck with no plant, we’re moving ahead and getting it fixed this spring,” said Mayor Ivan Normandeau.

“And if it breaks down in the middle of winter, you’re basically done for the year for hockey. Then it’s a bigger problem.”

There will be no borrowing necessary to pay for the job, with a provincial grant covering half the cost. Reserves and council budgeting it in this year and last covers the rest.

La Broquerie minor hockey, the Habs, and regional Eastman teams call the HyLife Centre home along with figure skaters, schools and public skaters. The Steinbach Pistons also play their home games there until the Southeast Event Centre is completed.

“It’s like any other arena in a small town, it’s every day from 8 a.m. to 11 o’clock at night, seven days a week. It’s very busy in the winter time and it would be a shame if we had no plant, that’s for sure,” said Normandeau.