October 2019
A lot has gone on since the Fairview Arena roof collapsed on February 20 of 2018 – and there’s more work to come. After the roof collapse, assessments took place to see what could be saved. It was determined that the hall portion was structurally sound and could be saved, but that the arena itself would need to be demolished.
The arena was home to the Fairview Women’s Hockey Arena Society, and the hall was occupied by the Indefinite Arts Centre and the Fairview Community Association. Once demolition and remediation were underway, an inspection was completed on the remaining hall portion of the building. It was deemed safe for occupation, and the Indefinite Arts Centre and the Fairview Community Association were able to return to the hall in June of 2018, while work continued on the site.
Following a thorough review process, The City of Calgary made the decision not to rebuild the arena. This decision was announced on February 20, 2019 and on June 14, 2019 Fairview Women’s Hockey Arena Society relinquished the site and it was returned to Calgary Parks inventory.
The decision not to rebuild the arena was made for a number of reasons. The City’s current practice is to build multi-sheet arenas with other recreation and support amenities to best address regional needs and achieve economies of scale. The Fairview site cannot accommodate a facility to meet current design requirements. Larger regional recreation facilities are not ideal in the heart of communities due to the loss of green space as well as increased traffic, parking and noise. These elements are not sympathetic to a vibrant local community. And, while the insurance claim has been settled, it only represents a portion of the capital required for the development of a modern ice arena facility.
The site has been cleaned up and grass has been seeded. Once the seed is established it will be open to use by residents. The City will paint the south-facing wall that is now exposed and provide adequate landscaping to maintain the site.
In terms of what’s next, The City plans to involve Fairview residents in a broader conversation about the future priorities within their neighbourhood. The City and community can work together to determine how the 8038 Fairmont Drive site can fit into what residents imagine for the future of Fairview as a whole. There is currently no City funding budgeted for development on this site. Should the development of some form of amenity be recommended, funding solutions will need to be explored.
As plans develop, updates will be provided. Stay tuned to the FCA website and Facebook page or contact 311 for more information.