Port Alberni city council has agreed to replace the aging dehumidifier in the Alberni Valley Multiplex at a cost of more than $500,000.
Council voted on Monday, July 8 to amend the 2024-28 financial plan, budgeting $560,000 towards replacement of the dehumidifier. The funds are expected to come out of the Canada Community-Building Fund, which means it will not impact taxation.
Rob Kraneveldt, the city's manager of facilities, said the existing dehumidifier is 24 years old and, after inspection, has been determined to be at the end of its life.
“It’s got some irreparable damage, like a cracked burner, and it’s not performing to standards we would like to see by maintaining the climate of the multiplex," he said.
Kraneveldt says the dehumidifier is a "critical" piece of infrastructure at the multiplex, as its primary goal is to maintain moisture in the air. An inefficient dehumidifier can lead to ice quality issues, which in turn can lead to infrastructure damage or player safety issues.
The new equipment will be put out to tender and is expected to be installed in June 2025.
Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions said this speaks to the need for asset management within the city.
“We need to make sure things like this don't come up out of the blue," she said. “We’re going to have a very challenging budget year, and now we're adding in a $560,000 piece of equipment.”
Coun. Dustin Dame also pointed out that the multiplex benefits residents of the entire Alberni Valley region, but city taxpayers continue to bear the cost for its ongoing maintenance.
