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FortSmithvotesyesfor4-millionarenadebenture8TuesdayNovember252014POLITICSMUNICIPALKAESERSHOLIDAYSCHEDULESUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAYDECEMBER201412345678910111213141516171819209A.M.-10P.M.212222324252627MOONLIGHTMADNESS8A.M.-8P.M.8A.M.-8P.M.282930Enteryournameinthedrygoodsstore.KaesersStoresLtd.76-80BreynatSt.FortSmithNT867872-2345BESTWISHESFORAHAPPYANDSAFEHOLIDAYfromthemanagementandstaffofKaesers.CLOSEDCLOSED9A.M.-7P.M.9A.M.-6P.M.NOON-6P.M.NOON-5P.M.9A.M.-7P.M.10DAYSOFCHRISTMASRAFFLE1FreshturkeysarriveMerryChristmasCLOSEDHappyNewYear9A.M.-6P.M.3109A.M.-5P.M.8A.M.-5P.M.RAFFLE2RAFFLE4RAFFLE3RAFFLE6RAFFLE5RAFFLE7RAFFLE8RAFFLE9RAFFLE10BACKTOREGULARHOURSByDALICARMICHAELResidentsofFortSmithvotedandagreedtotakeonanewdebtinordertopayforreno-vationsbeingmadetothetownsCentennialArenafollowingthebuildingsrecentopen-ingforthe2014-15skatingseason.Inaplebiscitevotecitizensvotedyesfora4-milliondebenturethatwillcoverabouthalfofthe8.3-millionendeavourmeaningthetowncanavoidemptyingitsreservesorincreasingtaxestopayfortheproject.Twohundredandninety-vecitizens-about20percentofeligiblevoters-casttheirballotsattheplebisciteNov.17andofthoseanoverwhelming263votesor90percentwereinfavourofthedebenture.Thisdecisionallowsustofocusonthefu-tureandprovidethecitizensofFortSmithwithafour-seasonfacilitythatwillbeanenergyefcientuserfriendlyattractivewarmhospitablebuildingthatwillmatchthewelcomingspiritoftowncitizensforasignicantnumberofyearstocomesaidMayorBradBrake.Thedebenturewillkickoffinearly2015oncetheprevious4-milliondebenturetopayforthetownspublicswimmingpoolisfullytakencareof.AsaresultFortSmithtaxeswillstayatthecurrentrateprevi-ouslyadjustedtoaccommodatethedebtforthepool.IthinkitsaverypositiveendorsementfromthecommunityallowingthetowntomoveforwardsaidJessicaCoxchairoftheFortSmithRecreationAdvisoryBoardwhoalsohappenstobeahockeycoachandplayer.Itisgreattoseethestrongsupportofrecreationprogramming.Thehockeycommunityisveryexcitedaboutwhatthearenawilllooklikewhentheworkiscompleted.ShariOlsenpresidentofthelocalwomenshockeyleagueagreed.Ithinkitsreallyfantasticshesaid.Itsreallygreattoseethatpeoplearesup-portingactivitiesforouryouthandadultsinthewinter.Somecitizenswereconcernedoverthewayinwhichthetownhandledthesitua-tionsayingtheymadedecisionstooquicklywithlittleregardforthepublicsinputuntilthetownwasalreadyheavilyinvestedintheproject.Themayorandcouncilmembershavedefendedtheirswiftactionssayingtheyareproudtohavecomeupwithasolutiontotheburnt-outarenaquicklyenoughthatthecommunitydidnthavetomissoutonasinglesportsseason.IthinkalotofpeoplestilldidntunderstandwhatitwasallaboutwhythedecisionshadtobemadethewaytheyweremadeOlsensaid.Itsgreattoseethatpeoplegotonboardandunderstoodthatbydoingitthiswaytherewasnodowntimeforanyplayingoranything.Therestofthebillwillbepaidforwithacombinationofinsurancefundsa1-mil-lioncontributionfromthetownsrecreationinfrastructurereservesandjustunder1.9millionfromCapitalProjectFunding.Inadditiontorepairingpartsofthebuild-ingdestroyedina2013rethefundswillpayfornewLEDlightingovertheiceanewiceplantbetterinsulationandheatingnewbleachersamezzaninewithanelevatornewchangeroomsandbathroomsextrastoragespaceandmore.Whenthererstimpactedthearenaice-userproponentPamWalshsteppeduptocre-atetheFriendsoftheFortSmithArenacom-mitteewhichhelpedthecommunitywintheTSNKraftCanadaCelebrationTours25000prizethatwenttowardsarenarepairs.Walshcontinuestoraisefundstopayforextraamenitiesnotincludedinthecurrentpricetag.Sofarshehasraisedjustover10000thatwillgotowardsitemslikeanewclockandscoreboardchangeroomwhite-boardsforstrategizingandwhateverelsethegureskatershockeyplayersandlittleCanSkatebeginnersfeeltheyneed.FortSmithsCABConstructionwillcon-tinueworkingawayonthearenathroughoutthewinterwithexpectationsofwrappingupthejobby2016.FortSmithcitizensvotetopayalmosthalfoftheupgradestothecommunityarenawitha4milliondebentureinsteadofincreasingtaxesordiggingintoreservefunds.PhotoDaliCarmichael