WEYBURN – City council approved a tender for an ice plant refrigeration chiller to replace the one currently in use at Crescent Point Place and the Tom Zandee Sports Arena, to avoid a “catastrophic failure” if the current chiller goes down.
Andrew Crowe, director of Parks and Leisure Services, said the chiller in place now is reaching the end of its life cycle, as it was installed during the major renovations and upgrades to the ice rinks several years ago.
The Leisure Services department had allocated $200,000 in the budget for this item, and the one bid which came in, from Stevenson Industrial Refrigeration Ltd., was $259,104, for a 220-ton flooded ammonia chiller. It will be installed during the off-season, and will take about a month, and once installed is expected to provide service for 20 to 25 years.
Crowe explained the overage will be paid for via an internal loan.
Asked what a “catastrophic failure” would mean, Crowe said if the chiller went down the ice rinks would be out of commission for five to six months, which could mean most of a hockey season, and ice users would have to arrange for ice in nearby towns. He explained that the ammonia removes the heat from the brine and returns it at a chilled temperature to keep the ice intact.
If during a breakdown the ammonia leaked and mixed with the brine, there could be a loss of life, as has happened in other communities, added Crowe.
Meantime, he also provided an update about the closure of the indoor pool at the Leisure Centre. On Tuesday afternoon, the City indicated the repairs were completed at the pool, and it will reopen for regular programming on Wednesday, March 1.
“Thank you to the community for your patience with the recent breakdowns that have been occurring at the Weyburn Leisure Centre. We are equally if not, more frustrated with the number of times we have had to close the doors in recent months due to unwanted shutdowns stemming from issues beyond our control,” he told council.
He explained that over the weekend, there was a pinhole on a section of six-inch black iron pipe which was replaced in 2014 when boiler system upgrades were completed. “This has caused us to shut down the heating system until repairs can be completed,” he said.
• In other council business, the City of Weyburn’s Walk of Fame committee announced that Curt Minard will be the inductee for 2023.
Minard is an accomplished athlete, representing Weyburn at national and international levels, including the 2018 Paralympic Games in PyeongChang.
“His passion and success in both career and athletics embodies the essence of Weyburn identity and validates his induction as the latest member to the Walk of Fame,” said a statement by the Walk of Fame committee.
The induction ceremony is slated for June 17 during the annual car show, in front of City Hall.
