Visitors check out the proposed designs for the Battleford Arena expansion. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Arena expansion

Battleford Arena open house draws smaller crowd due to Stanley Cup Final

Jun 18, 2025 | 5:53 AM

After 11 years of planning, an informational open house to get public feedback on the proposed Battleford Arena’s upgrade design was held June 17, but the turnout wasn’t what the Town had hoped for.

“We were saying ‘you plan it like a month and a half in advance and you pick your dates and then all of a sudden it’s Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final so what do you do,’” said Jordan Schechtel, department lead for Battleford Parks and Recreation.

Regardless of the smaller number of in-person visitors, the response to the user group and public survey has given the Town of Battleford ample feedback on the expansion – the first in 25 years.

“As long as people have the opportunity to voice their opinion, that’s what matters,” he said.

While the user group and public survey will stay open for another week and they don’t have an accurate number count. Schechtel said he has read through some of the comments and they are generally positive.

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Among the areas of interest for most respondents include the need for more dressing rooms and proper referee space.

(Mockup/Associated Engineering)

(Mockup/Associated Engineering)

Some residents who did turn out said they were happy with where the planning was going for the roughly 5,000 square-foot expansion and that they wished it had been done a decade or more earlier. Others believed the renovations were important, and the community needed to keep the rink up to standard.

Brent Pizzey, project manager with Associated Engineering said the town’s wish for more space came from their desire to host tournaments.

“Hosting larger events and increasing the occupancy of the load of the building, we also had to introduce additional washrooms,” he said.

“Some people have actually commented about doing maybe gender-neutral washrooms and stuff like that being that it’s the common thing these days.”

After the public consultation process, the engineering firm will refine the concept and resubmit it to the town for review and approval. Following that, the construction contract will go out to tender, and they expect shovels in the ground next year. When complete, the updated arena is expected to offer the town a renewed sense of community through the love of the game.

“People do want to see it get done,” said Schechtel.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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