In short, no. There are no immediate plans to demolish Kopar Memorial Arena or begin any major renovations as exploratory work must be done first. It is being considered in the context of the Civic Core District Plan though, but this plan is still in its early stages.
Current building condition
Kopar Memorial Arena was built in 1958 at a cost of $6 million. Many of the building’s system conditions need significant investments to bring them up to 2026 standards. The building foundation, exterior enclosure, stairs, interior finishes, plumbing, HVAC and electrical are all categorized as very poor, while the superstructure (the part of a building above the foundation), roofing, and interior construction are categorized as fair. The building does not meet current day accessibility standards or the requirements of the BC Hockey League. For example, the ice surface is irregular, and the boards and glass system is out of date and requires replacement. The critical component however, is that the brine lines underneath the concrete floor, which freezes the ice, are made from steel piping from the 1950s which is no longer used. The walls of the steel are getting thinner, which risks leaks and given their age are not repairable. A new brine line system would require a bigger footprint which results in changes to the seating layout and would be a significant capital project from both a cost and a timeline perspective.
This is not due to a lack of maintenance; this simply comes down to the age of the building. Facility staff are integral to ongoing maintenance of the arena and provide insight into the daily operation and condition of the building. The City has invested $1.6 million in this arena over the last 10 years on projects like the roof replacement, interior improvements, HVAC and refrigeration plant equipment replacements and upgrades.
How do we know the condition?
The City uses an asset management predictive modeling tool called BUILDER Sustainment Management System to help our facility managers make informed, data-driven decisions about required maintenance and replacements. It uses real property data, detailed component inventories, and condition assessments to forecast maintenance needs, prioritize critical assets, and optimize long‑term investment strategies. As of February 2026, it predicts nearly $20 million is needed to upgrade the building. That cost estimate does not include labour, tariffs, or shipping fees which are all outside of the City’s control. As is the norm with all construction projects and due to the age of the building, hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead paint and mold abatement costs are also anticipated but not included in the $20 million estimate.
The last time the arena was fully assessed by an engineer was in 2015 and the roof was assessed in 2017, these documents are outdated and don’t reflect what our software is predicting since then. A full facility assessment to compliment this prediction had already been scheduled for this summer which involves a detailed visual investigation by a team of qualified professional engineers and architects.
Replacement vs. renovation
How does the City decide whether a building needs renovations or if it should be knocked down and replaced? That comes down to the cost of both options and the building’s lifespan.
The City makes these decisions based on expert analysis (like engineer assessments), building code and safety requirements, industry requirements, and case studies from peer municipalities. For example, the Aquatic Centre renovation project is budgeted at $37 million, whereas the cost to build a completely new pool would have been at least $150 million based on similar aquatic facilities recently being built in Canada.
Kopar Memorial Arena was a key facility featured in the Civic Core District Plan public engagement project in 2023. More than 1,000 residents took the survey and stated their top three infrastructure priorities for downtown were:
- Shops and cafes with housing (51.84%)
- Performing arts centre (43.41%)
- Ice arena (29.46%)
Given the age of Kopar Memorial Arena and the amount of work required to maintain the building, it would be a good candidate to consider replacing with a modern facility rather than investing in renovations and would align with feedback received from the public and user groups through the Civic Core engagement project.
What’s next?
- Discussions with key user groups, including the Spruce Kings and arts and culture organizations, to determine their unique needs are ongoing as part of the Civic Core District Plan.
- The City is seeking proponents to develop a business case to outline the feasibility of mixed-use housing, a performing arts centre, an ice arena and a flex space within City-owned lands in the Civic Core District area.
- A full facility visual condition assessment by a structural and mechanical engineer is taking place this summer.
- The facility assessment and business case will be presented to Council later this year and any future action will be subject to Council approval.
In summary, work will be required at Kopar Memorial Arena at some point in the future due to the current building condition however, there is no timeline as of February 2026. A lot of work must happen first before it is presented to Council for consideration. It’s important to note that this project, like all infrastructure projects, will be weighed against the other needs of the over 50 facilities the City owns.