ATHABASCA — The Athabasca Regional Multiplex Society (ARMS) will have enough funding for necessary facility repairs, maintenance, and replacements this year after Athabasca town council upped its contribution to the 2025 capital budget in June.
Councillors voted 6-1 — Coun. Ida Edwards opposed — to approve an additional $15,000 for the shared facility’s budget during their June 3 meeting from the town’s Multiplex reserve, and unanimously to direct administration to pay the new total of $105,000 approved for ARMS’s 2025 capital budget.
The ask for extra funding was an informal one from Coun. Darlene Reimer, a sitting member of the ARMS board. She said a formal motion from ARMS will be coming after the approval of the amended capital budget, but directors felt a soft launch would be better than a hard ask to avoid back and forth negotiations through official motions.
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“The county, in my opinion, did a good job of understanding our point of view on a lot of the issues discussed, and I think as a point of good faith, I would consider it imperative that we go forward with this motion,” said ARMS director and Coun. Dave Pacholok.
According to Reimer, ARMS board and administration went back to the drawing board in May, five months after both municipalities approved only 40 per cent of their portion of ARMS’s capital requisitions for the year.
A review of the capital budget identified $46,500 in expenses that could be moved to the operating budget, and a number of lower priority capital projects were pushed to future years, including a new coat of paint for the theatre, chair racks, and brine headers for the curling and skating rinks. The changes brought the unofficial total needed from each municipality to $105,000, down from their official ask of $225,000.
The items left on the to-do list include $23,500 in roof repairs, replacement of all pool pumps to the tune of nearly $27,000, and the purchase of two boilers for the pool and gym, budgeted at $100,000.
“These are things that have to be done, basically no ifs ands or buts,” said Pacholok.
"We're being proactive and showing some good faith that we want to support the partnership that funds the Multiplex," said Mayor Rob Balay. "We don't necessarily have to wait for that (official) ask, we're doing it because we think its the right thing to do, and it would be sending a good message to our partner."
A January motion from Athabasca County indicated county capital contributions should not exceed funds from the town. With $90,000 in the budget, CAO Bob Beck indicated the official ask for extra capital from ARMS will likely be back before council for approval when it comes.
