Ice is in, but final countdown is now on for Centennial Arena

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This article was published 12/08/2021 (1305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As City of Steinbach arena crews were hard at work in recent days putting the ice in at Steinbach’s Centennial Arena, as they prepare for the earliest opening in the arena’s history, which opened in 1967, it also came with the realization that the days are numbered at the old barn.

That was made official just a couple of weeks ago with the splashy, although delayed, and yet much-anticipated press conference and announcement that the funding was finally in place for the new $42.5 million Southeast Events Centre.

The hallmark of the new SEC will be a new 2,500 seat arena that will have a capacity of more than 3,000 fans and when completed will become the third largest arena in Manitoba, behind larger facilities in Winnipeg and Brandon, which are the homes of the Winnipeg Jets and Brandon Wheat Kings respectively.

As the installation of the ice at Centennial Arena was into its final stages this week, City of Steinbach Parks and Recreation Manager Russ Dyck said they will be installing ice only two more times at Centennial Arena after this season before the building will be torn down.

He says in the interim, it will just be regular maintenance as required to keep it safe for users. “The shingles are good, we see no major projects that need to be done in the building.”

There was one problem that did arise recently and that was a brine leak under the concrete that does not seem to be substantial at this time. He says they are hoping that a major repair would be not be necessary as it would require going through the concrete floor.

The first bookings at Centennial Arena are on Monday and at the neighbouring T.G. Smith Arena the ice is also going in, marking the earliest date for that facility.

It is expected that construction on the new SEC will begin next summer after all the final architectural and engineering plans are complete along with the tendering process. The new arena will be constructed behind the existing Centennial Arena, and will border right onto Hanover Street. Those existing houses on Hanover that the city has been purchasing over time in recent years, will all be removed in the coming year.

Tentative plans are to have the new rink completed by the end of 2023, which is when the Pistons would move into their new home, for the second half of the 2023-24 season.

Centennial Arena would then be torn down to make way for Phase 2 of the project, which will include an atrium with a walking track, and a multi-use hall. The new arena can also be used for a concert and event centre, which could house up to 4,000 spectators.

This will also be the final winter that the existing outdoor rink will be used as it will be removed after this winter to make way for the construction and subsequent parking. A new outdoor rink will be constructed on vacant land on the other side of the curling rink.

When the entire project is complete, it is expected there will be about 600 parking sites in the immediate area, along with additional parking nearby. It will all connect with the T.G. Smith Arena, Steinbach Curling Club, community plaza, and the theatre.