Chestermere recreation centre closing Friday over roof safety concerns

Rocky View County is taking steps to close the Chestermere Regional Community Association building Friday afternoon due to safety concerns with the building, and in light of a heavy, wet snowfall forecast.

A recent structural analysis warned a portion of the facility's roof was at risk of failure if it was subjected to a heavy snow load. With wet, heavy snow expected this weekend, Rocky View County made the decision that closure of the facility was the best course of action at this time in order to ensure public safety.

The building will close to the public at 5 p.m. and remain closed until further notice.

"We don't have all the answers right now, but we simply won't take risks with people's lives," said Rocky View County Reeve Greg Boehlke. "We will be working with community partners to determine the long-term future of the building."

The structural analysis of the recreation centre, and a subsequent safety inspection by the City of Chestermere, were prompted by a number of roof collapses and issues at similar facilities in Calgary and other municipalities.

Boehlke says the part of the roof in question is over the Red Rink, which is about 10 years old, and that it is unclear at this time how that might impact the safety of the rest of the building.

"Because the two rinks are tied together with a mezzanine floor, so we're not sure if a failure in one could prompt a failure in the other," he said. "Public safety is paramount here."

Boehlke understands the closure will disrupt hockey, skating and curling until it is resolved, and says they hope to get answers within a week or two.

"We understand how this impacts users of the facility, but we hope they appreciate that we have their safety in mind, and that this is the most responsible course of action," Boehlke said.

The Chestermere Recreation Centre is primarily used by Calgary and Chestermere residents, but the building and land are owned by Rocky View County.

For decades, the county has leased the building at no charge to the Chestermere Regional Community Association, and provided millions of dollars in additional funding to the facility as part of the county's many contributions to regional recreation.