The County of Grande Prairie will be working closely with the Clairmont and District Agricultural Society to come up with a needs assessment for the town’s arena and community hall.
The building was initially closed on December 3, 2019 after a leak was discovered in the roof. The ag society made the decision to close the building for the remainder of the winter season in January 2020 following a more in-depth inspection.
County Reeve Leanne Beaupre says councillors appreciate the challenges faced by the society when it comes to the potential cost of the repairs. She believes working together is the best move forward.
“The most practical decision at this time would be to work with the society in conducting a community needs assessment to better understand the existing and potential future roles of these facilities in our region to help us determine the appropriate level of investment to address those needs.”
Estimates have placed costs to bring the hall up to safety standards at approximately $99,800,
with further upgrades ranging from $700,000 to $4.2 million.
County officials will be meeting with the Agricultural Society, along with a professional consultant. The cost of the assessment and report will be covered by the portion of the County’s 2020 Operating Assistance Fund. No timeline on when a final report will be submitted has been made public.