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Faulty Equipment Incident Causes Temporary Arena 2 Shut-down

On the afternoon of Saturday December 1st, staff noticed issues with the refrigeration plant on Arena 2.

December 3, 2018 – Faulty Equipment Incident Causes Temporary Arena 2 Shut-down at Strathcona Gardens

Campbell River, BC – On the afternoon of Saturday December 1st, staff noticed issues with the refrigeration plant on Arena 2. The evaporative condenser tower, located on the exterior of the facility, was found to be leaking trace amounts of ammonia and was immediately taken out of service.

Every precaution was taken to ensure the safety of patrons and staff. The facility’s ammonia detection alarms were not triggered as the trace amounts did not present a risk to staff and the public. No one was injured, and authorities have been notified.

The Regional District had previously secured federal gas tax funding to make the facility ammonia free by switching to a carbon dioxide refrigeration system. This new equipment will be installed during the annual shut-down period and ready for the start of the 2019 ice season.

In the meantime, a temporary refrigeration plant is being brought in to maintain the ice. Once installed, Arena 2 will re-open and the ice sheet will be operational until the end of March 2019.

The temporary plant is anticipated to be shipped and installed within the week. Until that time, Arena 2 will only be able to be used in a limited capacity. Once Arena 2 is fully operational, notice will be given via the Regional District website and social media channels. In the meantime, the remainder of Strathcona Gardens is fully operational and welcomes all patrons.

The Strathcona Regional District is a partnership of four electoral areas and five municipalities providing services to approximately 43,000 residents.

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Media contacts:
Koreen Gurak
Strathcona Gardens Facility Manager
kgurak@srd.ca
250-830-6733

Victoria Smith
Manager Strategic Initiatives
vsmith@srd.ca
250-830-6711