The Revelstoke Forum roof is showing its age and will need costly repair or replacement work soon. In the meantime, city staff will continue monitoring the situation and removing snow from the structure because it is no longer up to the new B.C. Building Code snow load requirements.
Council was scheduled to review a 100-page engineering report at their Dec. 11 meeting.
The report by Kamloops-based Watson Engineering Ltd. outlines structural issues with the nearly 50-year-old building, including cracking foundation concrete, delaminating beams and cracking trusses.
The report outlines 10 options, ranging from more minor repairs to a total replacement of the roof. Different materials are contemplated, including replacing the roof with a similar glulam beam design, or a new steel structure.
The cheapest fix is $1,768,925 while the most expensive is $7,909,918. The lifespan and ongoing maintenance costs of the 10 options vary greatly.
The City of Revelstoke’s parks department is requesting funds for the repairs be allocated starting in the 2014 budget.
The building, which includes the ice rink and curling club, has been the subject of several engineering reviews over the past 20 years.
Parks, Recreation and Culture Director Laurie Donato told the Times Review a decision to replace the roof would be a de facto decision to not build a replacement arena.
Donato said a replacement facility of the size and scale of the existing Forum was not likely given budget restraints, so replacing the roof to extend the building’s life by several decades is shaping up to be the likely course of action.