Elliot Lake council held a special meeting late Friday afternoon to approve funding for additional shoring of the Rogers Arena in Elliot Lake.
Council approved just over $95,000 plus a contingency fund of $20,000 for supplementary shoring of Rogers Arena, with the funds coming from the city’s Buildings and Facilities Capital Reserve.
Bill Goulding told council to ensure the arena could safely carry snow loads through the winter, temporary shoring was approved and installed in January 2025, which has proven effective during a typical Elliot Lake winter.
However, he adds this winter’s prolonged cold temperatures have caused deeper frost penetration around the foundation and as the frost begins to thaw, the arena’s Structural Health Monitoring System has been regularly sounding alarms.
Based on these readings, engineering consultants, WRD – Timber Restoration Services, recommended additional shoring to ensure the arena’s short-term stability and support the upcoming foundation improvements.
Goulding says the proposed shoring plan emphasizes the use of readily available and on-site materials to enable fast installation.
