The Township of Esquimalt has announced they will be replacing the arena flooring at the Archie Browning Sports Centre.
The arena is continuously in heavy use by various athletes, playing hockey, speed skating, curling, figure skating, ball hockey, lacrosse, roller derby and more for nearly four decades now.
Because of this frequent use, the flooring is in desperate need of replacement on all arena surfaces.
“The existing floor has served the community well for forty years but it is due for a replacement,” said Steve Knoke, parks and recreation director.
“Safe and well-maintained equipment is a priority for our recreation services and we look forward to the new floor next year”.
According to the Township, the scope of work in this project will involve removing and replacing the arena floor with a new concrete slab, with an in-floor refrigeration system.
Furthermore, improvements will include a new brine system, dasher boards, glass, safety netting, flooring around arena boards plus new player and penalty benches.
However, because of the amount of work that needs to be done, the Township says the floor will be unavailable from March 2026, until around September 2026.
Groups who use the facility were notified this week in order to allow them to find alternative arrangements.
To mitigate challenges for these groups, the Township says that staff will be working to minimize disruption and explore alternative options where possible.
“We value the relationships we’ve built with these community groups, and this investment demonstrates our continued commitment to providing excellent services to our community”, said Knoke.
Despite this, there are only so many places for these groups to go, with many facilities nearing, or at, capacity.
This matter was recently addressed by a petition that was launched to have a new arena built in Victoria.
To this notion, City Councillor Matt Dell said that while the need may be there, there are too many major projects on the go currently to allow for a new arena in the City’s budget—namely the Crystal Pool Replacement Project.
Esquimalt says the new floor at the Archie Browning Sports Centre will have an updated, more energy-efficient design and is expected to last another forty years.
The project will cost an estimated $2.5 million, and is being funded through the Township’s capital reserves.
