Future of Lakeview will be analyzed
Future of Lakeview will be analyzed
By SCOTT SWANSON Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — Lakeview Arena has been scheduled for a check-up.
The city of Marquette is requesting bids from consultants to perform a thorough evaluation of the 33-year-old facility. While Lakeview is in no danger of closing, the community has raised questions of whether the facility should be renovated or a new building is needed, said Hugh Leslie, city parks and recreation director.
“I want to explore that,” he said. “We’re listening to what the users are saying.”
Among the older portions of the building are the 20-year-old compressors and the roof, Leslie said. The study will look at the benefit of replacing the aging portions of the building versus projected savings.
“If new compressors cost us $500,000 and save us $15,000 on our electrical bill, that’s a 33 year pay-off,” Leslie said. “Will this building be here in 33 years?”
The study will also consider ice rates, staffing levels and hours of operation.
“We’ll pretty much be giving the building a physical and a financial exam,” Leslie said.
Leslie said he hopes to have the consultant hired by Sept. 1 so usage at Lakeview can be monitored from the time the ice goes in until about March 15.
“We want him in here, seeing how the system works, how people utilize ice time,” he said. “That’s not something they can do without being here and seeing how we operate.”
The consultant should then be able to draft a document to assist the Marquette City Commission in its annual allocation of funds for Lakeview, Leslie said.
The city has typically helped to subsidize the arena with up to $300,000 annually from its general fund. This year, the general fund will contribute about $130,000.
Last year, an organization calling itself the Save Lakeview Arena committee proposed to take over all aspects of building management, revenue generation and cost containment at the facility, while the city would still own the arena and the land it sits on.
The committee also requested that the city issue a $1 million bond to pay for capital improvements to the arena, including replacement of the compressors and the north portion of the roof.
The city commission did not take any action on the proposal.
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