The city of Salmon Arm has provided an update on the status of the Memorial Arena Sports Complex. After structural concerns arose about the facility roof in late 2023, the arena was closed to all users.
Memorial Arena to be demolished: City of Salmon Arm
There is wide consensus that the useful life of the building has passed and the cost required to bring the building back to a safe standard is prohibitive. As a result, the city will demolish the Memorial Arena. No date has been set for this work, but planning is underway to do so as soon as practicable.
An immediate replacement of the building is not feasible as the necessary funds required to undertake this project are not available. The city has many essential priorities that must be completed first, such as the expansion of the Water Pollution Control Centre.
To explore viable options for a future facility, the city will convene a discussion group. This group will use a collaborative approach with the goal of providing council with alternatives to consider. More details will be provided this fall.