Hawkesbury arena rink still closed for cleanup
The Hawkesbury Hawks will be playing their home games in Vankleek Hill for a few more weeks at least. Other local hockey clubs and others who need ice time are also adjusting their schedules until the arena at the Robert Hartley Sports Complex can reopen for business.
The rink space and related facilities at the complex were closed last month, after the recreation department’s building maintenance staff discovered problems with a dehumidifier, which had created a mold situation in those parts of the complex. Other parts of the complex, like the municipal pool and meeting rooms, are not affected.
The arena area and its adjoining facilities were closed down to users under a recommendation from the Eastern Ontario Health Unit until the mold was cleaned out and the areas affected sterilized. The large size of the arena is one reason for the lengthy process.
The town hired a consultant to review the situation and make recommendations. One of those recommendations is to replace all of the old wooden rink boarding with metaland-PVC boarding.
The dehumidifier is also fixed and in proper working order again. It may be the end of November before antiseptic cleaning and recommended upgrades to the arena portion of the complex are completed and the rink can reopen for both hockey games and other ice activities.