Parks and Recreation

SASCU Indoor Sports Complex (Memorial Arena)

The Interim report and Detailed Structural Assessment and Lifecycle Analysis report for the SASCU Indoor Sports Complex (Memorial Arena) have been received by the City. The reports and associated conclusions aim to provide stakeholders with comprehensive insights into the long-term economic viability of the facility and inform decision making processes related to its management and investment.

City Council wishes to engage the public regarding the future of this facility and are hosting an open house on June 19, 2024 from 6-8pm, in Council Chambers at City Hall to hear the community’s vision for the path forward. You are invited to attend in person or online. Please email cityhall@salmonarm.ca if you wish to attend online and a link to the meeting will be sent.

The interim report listed improvements required to allow temporary 3-season access to the facility. The full report is available here. In summary the report determined that the immediate repairs would be approximately $90,000 in order to return to partial occupancy with the following restrictions:

  • Occupancy limited to March through November.
  • No occupancy permitted during snow accumulation on the roof.
  • No occupancy permitted during forecasted and measured wind gust speeds exceeding 40 km/hr.
  • Real-time data of the roof video feed and wind speed monitoring broadcasted to the facilities operation manager.
  • Updating the City of Salmon Arm’s Operations Manual of the facility to include the conditions noted above.
  • Annual visual assessment of the arena by a structural engineer, prior to occupancy following the winter season, to determine any significant changes in the building condition.
  • The implementation of permanent repairs (Estimated at $2.8 Million) by the year 2030.
  • Shoring of trusses F, G, and H will impede on the playable turf area. It is anticipated that the shoring will take up approximately 240 square feet of the turf area at both the northeast and southeast corners of the playing field.

The final report included four options: Demolish and convert to greenspace, replace with a similar facility, replace with an upgraded facility and upgrade the existing facility to full year-round occupancy and extend the useful service life 30 years. The full report is available here. A summary is included below.

  • The final cost estimates for the four options are as follows:
  • Demolish and Convert to Greenspace:                                  $1.0 Million
  • Replace with an equivalent building:                                      $7.6 Million
  • Replace with an upgraded building:                                         $9.1 Million
  • Extend useful service life of existing for 30 years:         $6.8 Million

It was the opinion of the report writer, Bar Engineering, that rehabilitating the building envelope and structure with the intent of extending the useful service life of the facility is not a financially feasible solution and demolition to a greenfield site or replacement should be considered. This opinion is based on the extensive effort and cost to replace the existing facility. Furthermore, the extensive remediation will trigger the requirement to install a fire suppression system and upgrade the existing building to current codes in relation to fire and life safety.

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Indoor / Outdoor Recreation Options

Residents and visitors in Salmon Arm have several indoor and outdoor recreation options in the City including:

Division Responsibilities

The Parks and Recreation Division ensures the use and enjoyment of the city's many green spaces and natural amenities through carefully managed maintenance and improvement of park facilities. City facilities, parks and playing fields are kept safe, clean and well-maintained while protecting the environment.

Shuswap Recreation Society

The Shuswap Recreation Society is responsible for providing recreational and leisure services through its management of the SASCU Recreation Centre, the SASCU Indoor Sports Facility and Rogers Rink.

Parks & Recreation Master Plan

This Master Plan provides a strategic framework to guide future recreation and parks decisions over the next 10 to 20 years and at the same time identify priorities, big moves and opportunities for improvement.