A new Coquitlam sports facility that sometimes "sweated" and caused players to slip is back in service — full time.
On Monday, city staff told council the $310,00 work to mitigate condensation at the Poirier Forum has wrapped up.
As reported in The Tri-City News last year, the city cancelled numerous practices and games at the Forum — located next to Dogwood Pavilion — after complaints the concrete floor was often wet and posed a liability.
The 21,830-sq. ft. unheated space, which opened in February 2015 at a cost of $3.9 million, has air fans on either end of the aluminium structure, with exhaust vents at the ends as well as at the roof apex.
This past winter, improvements were made to the dehumidification system and ventilation after 22 practices and games were lost between October 2016 and March 2017 — down from 82 sessions during the same period the year before.
In January 2016, the city issued an apology for the cancellations to groups using the Forum. They include the Coquitlam Senior Adanacs Lacrosse Club, Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association and North Coquitlam United Soccer, which often told its players, coaches and parents — at the last minute — to go home or find somewhere else to play.
The moisture build-up also meant city staff had to be on site to monitor the floor and to clean up the water with squeegees.
Meanwhile, $2-million worth of upgrades are coming across the road, to the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
The city will begin to convert the curling rink — subsequent to the end of the 2017/'18 curling season — into a regular ice arena and to construct more change rooms, by September 2018.
As well, starting Monday, the complex — including the pool — will be closed until July 2 for annual maintenance. The rinks will remain open during this time while the fitness centre will reopen on June 12.
The city is asking swimmers to use the City Centre Aquatic Complex (1210 Pinetree Way) in the meantime or one of the city's two outdoor pools: Eagle Ridge and Spani. Visit coquitlam.ca/aquatics for schedules.
