Port Moody is hoping the province’s recently announced $134 million recreation infrastructure fund can help pay for a new ice plant at the Port Moody rec centre and to jump start the long-planned Inlet Field project.
The fund was announced during the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in the second week of September. Shortly afterward Port Moody said it would have to spend almost $300,000 to install a temporary ice plant at Arena 2 at the Port Moody rec centre after ammonia was detected in the brine lines.
The city’s staff is going over the fund’s guidelines and making inquiries about whether the projects would be eligible. Coun. Rob Vagramov said the chiller is going to be a huge drain on the city’s funds and Inlet Field has been a high-priority project that has yet to get a shovel in the ground.
“Something like this where we could partner with senior levels of government, especially when they’re reaching out to us, it’s absolutely key putting this wish list out there,” said Vagramov, adding even if the city got a negative response it would be better off because it would know where it stood.
