by Kyle Wells [email protected] Fans of Powell River Kings and users of Powell River Recreation Complex will notice a few changes around Hap Parker Arena in the coming days, with more to follow in the next few years.
Already in place is the arena’s new score clock, which hangs above centre ice and replaces the old score clock that was attached to the far wall. Soon to come is new bucket seating to match the rest of the arena and replace old concrete benches.
Joe Mastrodonato, on behalf of the Kings, made a proposal to Powell River Community Forest (PRCF) for funds to support the upgrade. PRCF, with the approval of City of Powell River council, agreed to provide money allocated to support the social and economic benefit of the community.
First Credit Union came on board as a partner for the project and agreed to cover the full cost of the score clock, about $46,000, in exchange for exclusive advertising rights. Marketing Director Sandra McDowell said the credit union became involved with the project to help provide upgrades, which she believes will please the fans and help support not just the Kings but also minor hockey and any other users of the arena.
“It’s a win-win situation for both the community, and all of the hockey families and players, as well as us to be able to have that branding,” said McDowell.
The first phase of the project includes installation of the clock and replacement of all the bench seating in the arena with plastic bucket seating like that already in place in the majority of sections. The Kings organization has been installing bucket seating for about the past 15 years and this latest round of installations will complete the job. Money from PRCF will be used for this aspect of the work, which Mastrodonato hopes to see completed by Christmas.
Around 500 more individual seats will be added as a result of the work. The overall seating capacity of the arena will go down with the replacement of the bench seating but Mastrodonato said the seats will be an improvement. There has been some lamenting the loss of bench seats, but Mastrodonato said any new arena built today has all bucket seats and that it is now a standard for arenas.
“You watch, when you go to the hockey games, which seats get filled up first,” said Mastrodonato. “Overall, those centre sections always get filled out first because people want a seat with a back.”
Bill Reid, director of parks, recreation and culture for the city, said that with the upgrades to the seats the city is also adding two more aisles to the facility to meet fire codes. Reid has heard the concerns over losing the benches as well but feels the bucket seats are a step forward.
“Aesthetically, it’s going to look a hell of a lot better and more professional and just gives a boost to the facility,” he said.
The proposal made to the city includes a plan for future work on the arena that Mastrodonato hopes to see completed in the next couple of years. The main reason the score clock had to be moved is that there are plans to extend a mezzanine lounge across the far end of the arena, across from the beer garden section, and extending to the other side of the arena. Box seating is also slated to be installed, along with a booth for radio commentators, an addition that is a BC Hockey League requirement.
The mezzanine, which is not approved yet, is expected to cost about $400,000, but an initial $65,000 is being sought from PRCF for planning and engineering. Should the work go ahead, organizers plan to partner with School District 47 to have students in the district’s trade programs work on the project as in-kind labour. Students will work with the contractor as a substantial saving for the city and an opportunity for experience and training.
Organizers obtained support from all the user groups of the arena including International Choral Kathaumixw and minor hockey associations, before going ahead with the work.
“So we’re not talking about the hockey team,” said Mastrodonato, “we’re talking about a facility that’s useable by everybody in the community and makes it a good place to have events in.”
Mastrodonato hopes that by making the arena more “user friendly” they can attract more people to the games, sell more season passes and provide more value for the cost of a ticket, especially if they go up in the future. The upgrades will also bring the arena up to the quality of other arenas in the league.
