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A temporary fix at the Ely Arena was approved this week in order to both stabilize the structure and allow the facility to be used for hockey this winter.
At a special school board meeting Monday, members accepted a quote from Lenci Enterprises and agreed to pay the firm $84,400 to make repairs sought by district engineers.
Two other firms also bid on the job, with cost estimates of $123,900 and $149,900.
Both high school and youth hockey practices, and perhaps games, will be moved to Babbitt as the work begins.
The request for quotes put out by the school district called for project completion by Nov. 26, and work was expected to start in the aftermath of Monday’s board voted, which was 5-0 to proceed.
Both the price quotes and Monday’s special session came after SEH recommended last month that the building be closed because of structural issues found during an ongoing athletic facilities assessment on the school campus.
Four columns on the west side of the arena were found to be structurally unsound and that repairs were needed in order for safe occupancy this winter.
SEH estimated that the project would cost about $74,000, but the lowest bid came in about $10,000 higher while others were nearly double.
“It’s a small project but keep in mind it’s a poor time of year to be looking for construction work and it was a very short turnaround,” said engineer Jason Chopp of SEH. “I called multiple contractors to find three to submit a quote, and they had to get it to me in a week and had to be done in a month. Given the short turnaround and the short list of folks who were interested, it is what it is at this point.”
Total cost for the district includes not only the $84,400 to Lenci, but $11,500 in payments to SEH to come up with designs, as well as $80 per hour for ice time at the Babbitt Arena while work continues here.
Board member Tom Omerza questioned whether the expenditures would result in a direct hit on the district’s general fund, but superintendent Anne Oelke said other funds could be tapped.
“We have the (sales tax rebate approved by the legislature for the district’s facilities project) and $2 million from the IRRRB for anything in the facilities project, so we’re able to use and be able to stay away from the general fund, but it will take away from what we were earmarking for other things,” said Oelke.
The district also anticipates getting some aid from the Ely Blue Line Club, which sponsors youth hockey in the Ely area.
“There’s the SEH contract, the cost of (the work) and our ice time in Babbitt, so it’s not just the 84 (thousand),” said Oelke.
Engineers determined “the west walls are breaking away” at the roughly 50-year old arena, and a wall was bending toward the west, putting the integrity of the structure in jeopardy in case of a heavy snow load or high winds.
It’s not immediately clear when the arena could be reopened for hockey, but both the Blue Line and the school have reached agreements for use of the Babbitt Arena.
High school hockey practice is set to begin Nov. 11 and the Timberwolves have their first home game Nov. 30.
