SOEC will be busy!

[southy]

Thanks for giving us a heads up on this Castanet: https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#209101

That being said, after a nice dinner out last night, my wife and I decided to go to the Casino. Well, that was an adventure.
Forgot there was a Vees game and something else (Chamber Awards I think at the TCC) no parking to be had. It was either go home or park east on Ekhardt and walk a couple blocks. Which is what we did. One has to wonder if the city in their wisdom is seriously looking at the parking issues at this complex? I did have thoughts of attending Foreigner but after last night forget it. Something must be done. Can they not put a parkade on the existing lot - yes I realize it would cost money and take time. But it's something that needs to be looked at.

[twobits]

A Parkade is going to be inevitable if this is to be an entertainment/sports hub. They can't continue to download parking onto nearby streets and residents. Public transit is just not viable in this geographic and demographic area.

[Chimera]

The parking situation is down right ridiculous! The pool should have its own designated customer parking, as should the casino and soec. If you are going to the Vees game or a concert at the soec, please don’t park at the pool. And when you want to go to the pool, you shouldn’t have to park by the visitor centre!

[Darkre]

Casino's are an interesting topic in BC. The host city receives 10% of net earnings plus the casino must spend a Development Assistance Compensation each year. I believe the DAC is supposed to be used for on site improvements but that the host cities can apply for that revenue for specific items. The DAC was previously used to build the parkade and the Merganser restaurant at the Lakeside. It may also have been used for the marina there. The City started to receive the DAC to help pay for the SOEC. In 2012 Penticton earned $1.7 million plus an additional $4 million from the DAC.

If I had to guess I would say that the initial plan was to knock down Memorial Arena, after the new rinks are built, and use the DAC to pay for the new arenas and to put up a parkade there. Due to complaints received about tearing down a Memorial Arena, and the fear of creating another Skaha Park situation, staff and council backed off and are passing the buck to the next council to make that decision. This council will announce the new arenas at a minimal cost to the tax payer as the DAC will pay for the majority and they get a good news story before next elections. The next council will be faced with deciding whether to spend $8-10 million to complete the required safety upgrades to Memorial Arena or to knock it down. If the DAC money is already allocated the cost for this would be completely on the taxpayer and with the huge infrastructure deficit the city faces it's hard to believe that they would spend that money. Many communities have faced this situation and decided to tear down the building and rename the new one a Memorial with a tribute to the old building in the new one. The main SOEC arena hasn't been named so the Memorial title could be transferred to it.

The DAC would go towards paying off the new casino building in the first 2 years.
Once the new rinks are built the DAC pays for a parkade and the new arenas. As they are technically part of the same complex I don't even think they would have to ask for special permission to spend it there.

[XT225]

The DAC would go towards paying off the new casino building in the first 2 years.
Once the new rinks are built the DAC pays for a parkade and the new arenas. As they are technically part of the same complex I don't even think they would have to ask for special permission to spend it there.

I've heard zero discussion on any parkade paid for by anyone, however its a great idea. The casino is the root cause of the parking issues; they should have had to shoulder that expense as was the lakeside forced to do when they hosted the casino.

If no parkade is built, with the addition of two more possible rinks and keeping Memorial, the parking issue will only intensify. I agree that this council is likely not going to deal with much of anything and will push it on to the next council. Most of the present ones will be history with any luck.

[southy]

Come to think of it our friends over in the big white building on Main have been pretty damn quiet about the new rinks, future of Memorial, and yup the parking dog and pony show at the SOEC/Casino. One has to wonder what they are really up to????

[Nooby]

Cascades has a free shuttle with a few pickup/drop off locations. Thankfully we live very close to one of those so that's how we're getting to the Foreigner concert on Saturday Much better than trying to find parking.

[twobits]

Personally, I think the nostalgia over Memorial is over the top. Just build new rinks and name them Memorial Center. Get over it for Lord's sake. Putting millions into this decrepit building is like throwing money at a Ford Pinto because it was the first car you got laid in. Some common sense needs to prevail here.

[XT225]

Personally, I think the nostalgia over Memorial is over the top. Just build new rinks and name them Memorial Center. Get over it for Lord's sake. Putting millions into this decrepit building is like throwing money at a Ford Pinto because it was the first car you got laid in. Some common sense needs to prevail here.

I tend to agree with you on Memorial. Some claim its too small an ice surface (not sure how they would make it larger); so get rid of it completely. They should build ONE more (not twins) on the other side of the SOEC, tear down Memorial for parking (and/or force the casino to build a parkade) and sell off McLaren. Three newer rinks should more than suffice this city; afterall we had only TWO for years, even with hockey school.
This city needs a lot of work; driven down South Main or Skaha Lk Road lately? Cracks, potholes; patches; these should be redone long before that stupid 300 block revite plan (yes, off topic).
ETA: you're right, they could name the new rink "Memorial Arena" and then it would be Nostalgic for folks in the year 2077.

[seewood]

*removed*

[Jhunter199]

I think they need to maintain 4 sheets of ice still, between minor hockey, the hockey academy, figure skating, power skating, the vee's, adult rec league, and the ever growing womens rec hockey ice time is pretty scarce already. I think a viable solution would be to build 2 more basic ice sheets attached to the soec, utilize some of their ammenities (washrooms, concession, some change rooms) and build just 2 sheets of ice with a few change rooms and minimal spectator seating. Then yes a parkade on the site of the memorial arena to truely turn that into a entertainment hub.

[XT225]

I think they need to maintain 4 sheets of ice still, between minor hockey, the hockey academy, figure skating, power skating, the vee's, adult rec league, and the ever growing womens rec hockey ice time is pretty scarce already. I think a viable solution would be to build 2 more basic ice sheets attached to the soec, utilize some of their ammenities (washrooms, concession, some change rooms) and build just 2 sheets of ice with a few change rooms and minimal spectator seating. Then yes a parkade on the site of the memorial arena to truely turn that into a entertainment hub.

Ok, I guess I can be convinced of the 4 sheet requirement; but keep them all geographically together. However, get rid of Memorial; parkade in place of or at least parking lot increase as we will lose spaces when the twin sheets are built to the N/W side of the SOEC. Also close and sell off McLaren; the land is worth some serious cash and god knows we need extra funding right now. The latest surprise (another major water main break on Lakeshore; happened similar location last year); MANY areas of town; require work on underground infrastructure and paving. This is where John V. would have done much better as a mayor in spending our tax dollars than the present one. What is absolutely necessary first, before anymore luxurious beautification projects; thats like putting in a fancy new kitchen in your home before replacing that leaking roof.

[seewood]

Seems mayors want some kind of legacy before leaving office. You are so correct in saying fixing the roof before putting in a kitchen but in Penticton's case, no one will see the brand new shiny pipes 6 feet under ground.

[Chimera]

Yesterday we wanted to go for dinner at the casino and noticed a good portion of the soec lot was blocked off for VIP parking only. We ended up parking off-site because there was nowhere to park.

There will definitely be parking chaos tonight! Oktoberfest, Abbamania, Foreigner. I’m sure there will be a $10 parking charge too. Sorry pool people, you are not going to find a place to park tonight.

[Nooby]

(Non) parking situation there is completely ridiculous and unacceptable. No way would we have found parking anywhere close last night. Because of the weather we took a cab there (which ended up costing about the same as parking would have) and managed to luck out and get the casino shuttle back at just the right time (no cabs to be found for the return trip).