The City of Yorkton will undertake repairs to the grandstand at the Yorkton Exhibition Grounds at a cost of $35,000.
Council made the unanimous decision at its regular meeting Monday.
The work is required to address problems brought to light after wind damaged the tin sheeting on the facility.
"Recently another section of the back wall of the Grandstand failed. Rather than just patch it as we did last fall prior to Harvest Showdown, we had Associated Engineers come and have a look at the overall usefulness of this facility," explained a report circulated to Council from Don Kunkel, general manager of the Gallagher Centre.
The report from Associated Engineering stated, "in our opinion, the existing exterior wall construction needs to be removed and replaced. The metal cladding is in good condition, however the wood framing behind it is rotten in numerous locations and complete replacement is warranted. The existing wall will be susceptible to future failures and needs to be replaced prior to any public events taking place."
The work is warranted because it would extend the life of the grandstand, stated Kunkel's report. "The Associated Engineers report indicates that the Grandstand still has a significant amount of useful life. Replacement of the entire Grandstand will cost $250 per seat plus concrete and ground work and that doesn't include a roof. To replace the entire Grandstand in today's market will cost somewhere around $1,000,000 to $1,250,000 for a 2,000 seat Grandstand."
Councillor Larry Pearen questioned if the work included upgrading the flooring and seating, adding he has heard spectators concerned with the strength and safety of the floor.
Mike Thorpe, with the Gallagher Centre said the budget for the project includes plywood for "patching the seating area."
Coun. Richard Okrainec said the public should know the work will focus on making the facility safe."We want to ensure the public it's going to be safe," he said.
While work was required Kunkel's report stated "there is no funding in place to carry out the recommendations of Associated Engineers, this matter is being brought forward to Council for consideration.
The budget for the work will be $35,000.
