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ExcitementandskepticismariseoverupgradesatFortSmitharenaasdebenturegoestovote18TuesdayNovember42014POLITICSMUNICIPALThenewPULSEWOODBUFFALOCALLLINE780-743-7000isaninormationlinenowavailabletoallRegionalMunicipalityoWoodBualocitizens24-hoursadaysevendaysaweek365daysayear.CallthisnumberandamemberothemunicipalRESDispatchwillanswereverycall.Itheycantansweryourquestionimmediatelyyouwillgetapersonalresponsewithin48hours.Thisisasimplewaytokeepyourfngersonthepulseothecommunity.Foremergenciesalwayscall911.ForaccuratecurrentinormationroundtheclockaboutanythingconcerningtheMunicipalitycall780-743-7000.FROMBUSPASSESTOBUSSHELTERSLOSTSWEATERSKEYSTOWINTERROADSSNOWREMOVALANDSTRAYDOGSWITHFLEASFROMPOTHOLESTOFLOODINGTREEBRANCHESBRICKSTOPARKINGANDTRAFFICLIGHTSCALLUSFORTHEFIXAREALPERSON.WITHREALANSWERS.EVERYTIME.ALLTHETIME.HAVEAQUESTIONCALL780-743-7000HAVEANEMERGENCYCALL911WWW.WOODBUFFALO.AB.CABYDALICARMICHAELItseasyforFortSmithresidentstoagreethatrenovatingthecommunitysburnt-outarenawithoutforcinglocalkidstomissawintersportsseasonisagoodthingasdis-cussedatacommunitymeetingheldOct.28.Butasconstituentspreparetovoteona4-milliondebenturetopayoffalmosthalfofthe8.3millioninarenaupgradessomeareexpressingconcernsoverthewaytowncouncilpushedtheprojectforwardwithseeminglylittleinputfromthecommunity.ThelegitimatequestionpeoplehaveisWhydidyoudoitthiswayandIcanappre-ciatethatsaidtowncouncillorDonWebb.Timeconstraintswereabigthingandal-readythebusinesscommunitysufferedlastyearbecausetherewasnoconcessionnotournamentsnoextrabusinesscomingin.Overthecourseoftherenovationprocesscriticshavepointedoutthattowncouncilmadedecisionsregardingthearena-likewhatupgradestoaddandhowmuchtheywerewillingtoforkout-withoutputtingthemtoanyvotes.Thoughcouncillorsmadedecisionsinregularpublicmeetingssomesaythatwasntenough.ShouldenoughpeoplevoteyesforthearenadebentureasoneFacebookgroupispromptingthemtodothetownwillnothavetopayanynoticeableextrataxes.Therateisalreadyelevatedpreviouslyadjustedtopayoffadebenturetakenoutyearsagotopayforthecommunitysindoorswim-mingpooladebtthatwillbefinishedinFebruary.Themayormadeitclearthatshouldthetownvotenoforthedebenturetowncouncilispreparedtoraisetaxesanddigintootherpoolsoffundingresources-thoughhedidnotexplicitlystatewhich-topayfortheexpense.WewereputinasituationthatwedidntwanttobeputinsaidMayorBradBrake.Ifyouconsidereverythingthathappenedthingsworkedoutforthebest.Webbsaidheishappywiththewaytherenovationshaveturnedoutasweremanyofthetownspeoplewhoturnedouttolastweeksmeetingthemajorityofthemice-users.ExcitementovernewarenaInthemeantimemanyofthecommunitysgureskatersandhockeyplayersaretitter-ingwithexcitementovertheprospectofanupdatedarena.Thetownheldtherstofseveralarenawalk-throughsonOct.15achanceforciti-zenstotourthefacilitywithatowncouncilmemberasaguidereadyandeagertoan-sweranyquestionstheirconstituentsmighthave.ThoughtheconstructionisonlyaboutathirdofthewaynishedaccordingtoCABConstructionsCraigBrownetheattendeeswereimpressedwithwhattheysaw.EverythingisgoingtobeanimprovementonwhatwehadsaidrecadvisoryboardchairJessicaCoxwhoisalsoahockeycoachandplayer.Itsveryexciting.Itmaintainsthecharacteroftheoldarenaandhopefullyitwillhavethesamequalityofice.Oneofthemostcommented-onupgradesistheLEDlightingovertheicewhichac-cordingtotowncouncilwillpayforitselfoverthenextveyearswithenergysavingsandgreenstructurerebates.ThebiggestimpactIthinkwillbethelightingCoxagreed.Itsdramatic.Therewasalwayskindofagreentingeandshad-owsontheice.Idontknowhowthataffectsgureskatersbutinhockeyyoucanseepeo-plecoming.ThetownwasalsoinvitedtoexaminenewschematicsaswellasooringandtilesamplesattheOct.28meetingwhichhelpedthemtoenvisiontheirnewfacility.Tovotecitizensmustbeatleast18yearsoldaCanadiancitizenandtohavelivedinFortSmithforatleastoneyearprecedingthevote.AnadvancepollonthedebenturetookplaceNov.3andwillbefollowedbyavotingperiodonNov.17.Thefacilityisexpectedtoopenforice-usersbymid-Novemberandissettobenishedbythe2016winterseason.PhotoDaliCarmichaelEthelChalifouxchecksoutthenewestschematicsoftheupgradedFortSmitharenaalongwithsamplesofitsnewooringwalltilingandcolourschemesatatownmeetingOct.28.