PORT Dover Arena is about to get $1.8-million in renovations even as county council awaits a controversial draft recreation master plan that calls for building a new central facility with four ice rinks and decommissioning ice at arenas in Port Dover, Simcoe, Waterford and Langton.
Councillors last Tuesday unanimously recommended awarding a $1.8-million contract to replace Port Dover Arena’s floor and dasher boards.
Cimco Refrigeration of Burlington will replace the arena’s concrete floor installed in 1987, refrigeration/ice-making brine lines in the floor and the rink’s dasherboards system.
The contract also includes two goal nets and pegs and a trench drain to catch melt from the ice resurfacer.
Council is expected to approve the contract next Tuesday.
Norfolk must keep its facilities in good repair, operations general manager Bill Cridland said last Tuesday.
Changes to arenas, such as those suggested by the draft master plan, might not happen for 10 years, Mr. Cridland said.
It’s important to replace the Port Dover Arena’s floor while ice is out between April and August, he said.
The project’s price is below the county’s $2-million budget.
A draft recreation master plan suggests building a four-rink facility at a central location.
Once that’s done, Port Dover arena’s ice would be decommissioned and the arena redesigned for indoor pickleball, volleyball, badminton and a seniors centre.
Simcoe’s Talbot arena would be demolished and turned into an outdoor facility for winter skating and summer festivals.
Waterford’s arena would be decommissioned and no longer used for recreation.
Langton’s arena would be decommissioned and possibly used for indoor soccer.
Delhi’s arena would continue as an ice arena.
Norfolk’s recreation and parks advisory committee will take a second look at the draft recreation master plan on March 27.
The county will hold a public meeting Tuesday, April 8, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Simcoe Recreation Centre.
A report and draft plan will be presented at a council-in-committee meeting on May 13.
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Originally published March 19, 2025
