One of Thunder Bay's biggest arenas will see fewer skaters this season due to major needed repairs

One of the most popular arenas in Thunder Bay, Ont., will operate at reduced capacity this season.

Ice refrigeration system failures and problems with the arena floor are causing headaches at Delaney Arena, located near International Friendship Gardens on the city's south side.

An assessment done by an external engineering firm this summer found significant brine leaks, Kelvin Jankowski, the city's manager of capital facilities construction, told the media on Friday.

"It was determined that the brine lines are indeed failingand that they only have a limited amount of life left," Jankowski said. "The pipes are becoming very brittle now, and so it's going to be a continuing issue that will not get better."

To keep the arena usable this season without putting too much strain on the system, three key changes are being made:

• Operating hours will be reduced on both weekdays and weekends.
• Only users ages 13 and under will be permitted.
• Fewer tournaments will be held there.

The arena floor, refrigeration pipingand boards must be replaced at an estimated cost of about $2 million, said Jankowski. The project is in the design phase and is hoped to be completed in 2025, pending city council's approval.

Delaney Arena also saw issues with its floor and refrigeration system last year. While repairs were done this summer, "it ended up being much worse than what we anticipated," said Paul Burke, the city's sport and community development supervisor.

Concerns around short notice, aging facilities

The floor at Delaney Arena dates back to 1967, said Jankowski. The lifespan of an arena floor is about 50 years.

"We're at 56 with this floor now, so it's done its job. It's been very reliable for the last 56 years and the reliability is falling off now," he said.

"It's something we have to deal with if we're going to continue to operate this facility."

Burke saidthe city has consulted with user groups and is working to make sure all users are accommodated at other arenas in the city.

But there has been backlash on social media about the changes coming to Delaney Arena.

Mark Shedden is the tournament convener for Port Arthur Minor Hockey Association, and the tournament chair for KC Minor Hockey Thunder Bay. He said the restrictions being placed onthe arena are "disappointing" especially with such short notice.

"A lot of people just feel like it came pretty much on the cusp of the season starting next week, essentially," Shedden said.

Delaney Arena offers the largest rink in the city and hosts a number of tournaments, he said. Meanwhile, challenges continue with allocating ice times throughout the city to meet the needs of all user groups.

"We've lost two ice surfaces in five years," he said. "We're adding associations using ice, but we're running out of ice surfaces so I really don't think cutting rinks is on the table.

"These facilities are aging, and it's really time to rethink what we're developing for hockey arenas."

Shedden would like to see more investments in the city's arena infrastructure to make sure everyone, especially youth, have ample opportunities to stay active in the wintertime.

"Our winters are long, and the reality is that skiing is great, but it's not always consistent.

"Long-term hockey rinks are where the majority of those kids are going to end up, and if they don't end up there and don't have the opportunity to get on the ice, it's going to be really detrimental."

His hope is hockey associations will work together to push for changes in the way ice contracts are handed out.

"Everybody needs to come together and just find a better system."