08/24/2026
Hmmm
โธ๏ธ๐ $๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต,๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ
Earlier this year, planned capital improvements for the John Lindell Ice Arena were removed from Royal Oakโs FY 2026-27 capital improvement budget and put on hold pending further discussion.
Now, two problems at the arena couldnโt wait โ and the emergency repairs are in the process of being completed.
On Monday, the City Commission will be asked to approve $149,686 in expenditures and a budget amendment to pay for them:
โข ๐ช๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐ณ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ / ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ โ $๐ฏ๐ฌ,๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ
โข ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐๐บ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ โ $๐ญ๐ญ๐ต,๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฌ
โข ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น โ $๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต,๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ
According to the city, the west rink had a floor crack/heave involving the main refrigeration line that runs beneath the rink. Over time, moisture around the insulated line caused the surrounding ground to freeze, eventually forcing the concrete to heave and crack. The city says the damage would have continued to grow if it wasnโt repaired.
The second problem involved the dehumidifier that serves ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐. When it isnโt functioning properly, condensation can form on the glass and ceiling and drip onto the ice, creating dangerous ice conditions.
Because the repairs were considered urgent, the work was performed during the lower-use summer period to minimize the impact on hockey leagues and other programming.
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ?
Neither repair was included in the FY 2026-27 capital improvement budget.
Commissioners are being asked to approve a budget amendment taking the entire $๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต,๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ from the ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ.
The city is contractually responsible for maintenance and repairs to the facility.
The repairs themselves appear necessary. But with planned capital improvements at the aging arena already put on hold, this unexpected expense raises another question:
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด-๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ?
Weโll continue watching.
