Following a break in the rink’s brine line, the C.A. Nesbitt Arena will not be operational until further notice.
“What’s happened is both rinks have ... a number of lines that run underneath the ice pad,” said city manager Gary Ceppetelli. “One of those lines that connect to the main pipe is split, so we weren’t able to determine whether it was just the connection itself or the pipe itself.”
Brine lines keep the concrete pad below the ice surface at zero degrees to ensure the ice above remains frozen.
Ceppetelli told the Thompson Citizen that representatives from CIMCO Refrigeration are currently working on the problem and should be able to fully assess the extent of the damage by the end of the weekend.
Because of this issue, all weekend hockey action, including a Norman Northstars series against the Winnipeg Wild and the Thompson Tigers second-annual all-girls weekend, will be moved to the Gordon Beard Arena.
According to a Jan. 25 memo by recreation director Andrew Hillaby, the rink could be closed for three to five days while repairs take place
Arena staff noticed a brine leak Jan. 18 and conducted temporary repairs in consultation with CIMCO, which sent a technician the following day and was scheduled to complete a full replacement beginning Feb. 6. The temporarily repaired line broke again Jan. 24 and CIMCO attended to begin repairs the next day.
The cost to replace the broken brine line will not exceed $22,000, said Hillaby, and a resolution will be brought to city council on Monday to approve the cost of the repairs.
