The City of Kamloops currently has five indoor ice facilities:

• McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre (two sheets),
• Sandman Centre,
• Valleyview Arena,
• Memorial Arena, and
• Brock Arena.

Peak time utilization of all ice is approaching 100% during the primary ice season (September 15 to March 15). Overall demand exceeds capacity and our current facilities are aging, with the last one being built in 2005 (McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre) as part of the Tournament Capital build. At the same time, however, the Ice Box (private facility) closed, so the community didn't net any new ice sheets, meaning the last additional ice was in 1992 with the build of Sandman Centre. The city has gained over 30,000 residents since the construction of Sandman Centre, and the Recreation Master Plan indicates the need for at least two additional ice sheets to meet demand.

The Arena Multiplex will create up to four additional rinks to meet needs of multiple ice sports, allowing more capacity for over 100 local clubs and improving our event hosting capabilities. It will be built on City-owned land at 2070 Hillside Drive, nestled against the boundary of Kenna Cartwright Park , which reduces the overall cost of the project and builds on our history of repurposing otherwise unusable land and co-locating indoor and outdoor recreation facilities. This location provides easy access off the highway and is in close proximity to hotels, amenities, and retail. The proposed facility could include a walking track, fitness facility, child play spaces, food and beverage, and amenities for park users such as bike repair stations and storage, showers and washrooms. Complementary services such as skate sharpening, equipment rentals and other recreational services could be included. The Multiplex will also provide multi-use space when the ice is removed, which could be used for hosting events and tradeshows, or dryland sports like lacrosse.

Additional arena capacity will also improve our ability to respond as a host community during emergency events without disrupting recreation and community events.