Skeptical councillors put off McMeeken replacement decision

Final decision will be made about a month from now, during budget deliberations

Design concept of new twin-pad arena by Franco Pastore, principal architect and designer, IDEA Inc.Supplied image

Concerned about spending almost $30 million without support from higher levels of government, Sault Ste. Marie City Council voted tonight to postpone its decision about replacing our seriously-down-at-the-heels McMeeken Centre.

Councillors voted unanimously to defer the decision until budget deliberations, slated for about a month from now.

"We will make a decision on it this year," said Mayor Christian Provenzano, who suggested putting the vote off until tighter cost estimates can be obtained, including one for a single-pad arena instead of the proposed twin-pad design.

If the project goes ahead, the old McMeeken Centre would continue to operate for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, with demolition slated for 2022.

Construction would take 14 to 16 months.

The new twin-pad arena would open in September 2022.

SooToday will have further coverage of tonight's decision.