REAL seeks additional public consultation on Brandt Centre future plans
The Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) announced its launch of phase two of a public consultation into the future of the Brandt Centre on Tuesday, after receiving more than 5,300 surveys throughout phase one.
Of all the respondents, 84 per cent were from Regina.
Tim Reid, president and CEO of REAL said phase one was considered a success.
“Seventy-five per cent of all those respondents suggested that the Brandt Centre is a very important civic asset in out community,” said Reid. “Of those respondents the most popular events were sporting events and concerts.”
With the building nearing the end of its life, the City of Regina and REAL have held ongoing discussions about the possibility of a new arena.
“Ultimately there are a handful of sites we are considering for the potential development of a new arena,” Reid said. “One of them is on this site [REAL Campus], there are three locations downtown and one location at the yards that has potential.”
Reid added the new arena would likely need to be around 10,000 seats, which opens the door for new entertainment businesses including a larger concert venue, Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
“There has been discussion with both,” Reid said. “I would probably say the ones that have the most potential right now is the CEBL, however they were very preliminary.”
There is no immediate need for the Brandt Centre to be renovated, but it is nearing the end of its life.
“We have a building right now that has great hockey games every single week and has great concerts every single week,” said Reid. “The reality is that it is coming to the end of its life and we need to determine what comes next.”
Reid added the Brandt Centre is still operating as it should.
“The nice thing about where we stand today is that we are not urgent in making this decision,” Reid said. “We can work with the community and our stakeholders to find the right plan for our city.”
The survey for phase two of public consultation is now open and Reid said the hope is they will have the results of phase two in April before going in front of city council in June.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.