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The issues associated with the temporary floor at Affinity Place appear to have cost the events centre one of its marquee annual events.
The organizers of the Estevan Showcase business expo have decided the event will return to the Power Dodge Ice Centre (formerly the Lignite Miners Centre) this year, after holding Showcase at Affinity Place each year since the events centre opened in 2011.
While the move to the ice centre might be panned by some, who have grown accustomed to seeing Showcase in the more spacious and brighter Affinity Place, the move will be applauded by many of the exhibitors, since they were concerned about losing merchandise on the wet Affinity Place floor.
The concerns regarding the floor at Affinity Place have been growing in the last few years. They reached an all-time high after Showcase in 2015, when it was unusually warm outside and the temporary floor was particularly damp. Concerns were also raised following the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees this past November.Ìý
People are not only concerned with how wet the surface is, but how cold it becomes.Ìý
At the same time, the city likely has more pressing needs than a new temporary floor at Affinity Place.Ìý
In a report to city council filed last fall, leisure services manager Nathan Jesse said it would cost $170,000 to $220,000 to purchase a new floor at Affinity Place. That floor would be one-and-a-half inches thick, or nearly three times as thick as the current floor, which is five-eighths of an inch in thickness.
Many arenas in western Canada have a temporary floor that is an inch thick. So while it would likely cost less to purchase a one-inch floor than the price that was quoted to the city, it’s still likely to be a six-figure expense.
We believe that a new temporary floor should be considered for Affinity Place at some point in the not too distant future. It’s more than just a creature comfort for those attending special events; it’s a legitimate need to ensure that spectators are safe and the ice is preserved.
At the same time, the city has other priorities that should be investigated first, including some within leisure services, such as determining, once and for all, the future of the Civic Auditorium.
It’s unfortunate the Showcase committee has been forced to move back to the Power Dodge Ice Centre, but ultimately you can’t have exhibitors worried about whether their product will be damaged if it’s left on the Affinity floor.Ìý
Hopefully, at some point, Showcase can find its way back to Affinity, because it’s imperative the facility have a variety of special events so that it can be used to its full potential.Ìý
Affinity Place remains one of the finest venues in western Canada. It’s a great place to watch a hockey game or a concert. It has hosted some marquee events since it opened nearly six years ago, and more special events, such as the 2018 SaskTel Tankard men’s provincial curling championship, are on the way.
It could definitely use a better temporary floor when covering the ice surface. But the time for that upgrade is not now.Ìý
