Frequently Asked Questions

The City’s initial cost projections brought forward in early 2021 were based on comparisons drawn from projects completed in 2020 and did not reflect factors like inflation and the significant escalation in material costs that have occurred over the past two years.

Additionally, the scope of the project was expanded to include the required number of dressing rooms and other considerations that were identified as important through stakeholder and public engagement. Additionally, the project was expanded to include costs for developing ball diamonds on the same site.

In September and October 2022, the project team underwent a thorough and thoughtful review of the designs and proposed amenities to ensure a ‘no frills’ approach while still delivering a facility that will meet Lloydminster’s most urgent needs for an indoor ice/event facility.

The City submitted federal and provincial grant applications with the potential to cover a significant portion of the costs to design and build the new event facility. Portions of the cost not covered by grant dollars will come from the City’s capital budget, as well as regional partnerships, sponsorships and donations, while also seeking additional grants. The City has set up fundraising and sponsorship committees to help raise funds.

Since early 2021, City Administration has toured more than 15 facilities across Alberta and Saskatchewan, gaining valuable insight into the construction and operations of those buildings.

No. The benchmark capacity for a WHL-sized arena is approximately 4,000-4,500 seats. This is beyond the scope and budget of this project.

Through much of 2021, City Administration – with the support of contracted experts – explored several sites throughout Lloydminster. Each site was thoroughly assessed with a focus on visitor accessibility, geotechnical risks, grant eligibility, servicing requirements, economic benefit, and a plethora of other considerations. After months of diligent assessment, the eastern site formally selected by City Council was deemed the most viable from a financial and logistical perspective. The City is confident that a new event facility in the City’s southeast will help drive economic and recreational benefit to the Lloydminster region for generations to come.

The City of Lloydminster's Procurement Department manages acquisition of the many goods and services required in its regular operations and services to residents. Our procurement activities are guided by a Purchasing and Procurement Policy. We advertise procurement request documents, including request for bids, quotations and proposals. All potential vendors are encouraged to create or update their profile on bidsandtenders.ca to receive notice of tenders. The e-bidding format simplifies the procurement process by allowing bids to be submitted electronically. Vendors no longer have to come to City Hall to meet a deadline and get a manual time and date stamp for bid submissions.

TBD Architecture + Urban Planning (TBD) is the firm selected by the City of Lloydminster to support the planning and design of the new Event Facility. Through the RFP submission and interview process, TBD displayed a high-level of experience and expertise in large event facility projects – including Edmonton’s Rogers Place – bringing forward a well-rounded and highly qualified team. Their unique value-added operational planning tools and capital investment trackers will help to balance the City’s needs during the design of the project. TBD has a strong focus on sustainable operations and is forward thinking regarding the chosen site and future development for the area.

Many federal and provincial grants require municipalities to be ‘shovel ready’ with infrastructure plans before submitting them for grant consideration. Over the past two years, the City has done a great deal of preparation to ensure its cost estimates are as accurate as possible, putting the project in a favourable position to receive significant grant support. Another major consideration for the City is the imminent closure of the Centennial Civic Centre, which, according to a 2019 structural assessment, could be rendered unfit for public use before 2025. To date, the City has had several promising conversations with higher levels of government regarding funding for the project and hopes to receive confirmation in early 2023. Construction will not proceed until official confirmation has been received.

During the design of Servus Sports Centre (formerly Commonwealth Centre), there were informal discussions about the potential to add onto the facility; however, no formal construction plans were drawn. Today, significant expansion of the Servus Sports Centre is constrained by access for increased vehicle traffic, and other many logistical considerations. In choosing a location for Cenovus Energy Hub, the City also recognized significant economic and social value in allocating major recreation sites into other areas of the community.

Through mid 2022, the City met with several stakeholder organizations and conducted a public survey to the entire Lloydminster community. Through these engagement exercises, a significant number of participants emphasized the need for washrooms and dressing rooms to be inclusive and comfortable for people of all needs. In the floorplan presented to City Council on October 21, 2022 the proposed washroom plan included men's, women's, Inclusive and Individual (barrier-free) options. Some of those washrooms – but not all – included a limited number of floor-to-ceiling stalls. Men's and women's washrooms will still have traditional stalls, urinals, etc. The addition of gender-neutral restrooms also offers the advantage of flexibility to meet demand, as they may be re-designated as needed during special events.

The Cenovus Energy Hub presents exciting partnership opportunities for organizations like the Vic Juba Community Theatre, which has seating capacity for about 550. Adding a 2,500-seat venue like Cenovus Energy Hub (expandable 4,000 with floor seats) brings new opportunity for our community to attract more stadium-friendly ‘Class B’ acts that may not previously have considered Lloydminster as a stopping point. Furthermore, staff members of the Vic Juba have been engaged throughout the development of the building concept.

Our community is one of diverse needs, passions, and interests, and as such, there will always be differing opinions on what the next big infrastructure investment should be. Should the Centennial Civic Centre and the Archie Miller Arena become unusable without new indoor ice facilities to take their place, there will be a major shortfall in local ice surfaces, meaning opportunity for people to figure skate, recreational skate, and play hockey will be significantly diminished. It would also put Lloydminster’s premier hockey clubs in jeopardy and hinder the community’s ability to host and attract special events and entertainment acts. Other investments – including a new indoor pool – are part of the City’s long-term capital considerations.

While there is tremendous potential to generate revenue to help offset operational costs, the reality is that virtually all public facilities – including rec centres, public pools, and cultural facilities – operate at a deficit. Cenovus Energy Hub’s proposed operating model was built with support from a consultant specializing in event centre operations, as well as considering or existing operating data and the resources the City has at its disposal for special event operations. The intrinsic value in buildings like Cenovus Energy Hub is in how they serve as community gathering points, the role they play in the development of youth, and the overall economic impact they have in drawing people into the community. The social benefits are often the most difficult to measure, however, on the economic side, the data tells us that each visitor that comes to Lloydminster for a sporting or entertainment event spend approximately $115 per visitor per day in hotels, restaurants, and local stores. With an estimated annual visitation of 170,000, Cenovus Energy Hub is sure to be a productive economic asset for decades to come.

The investment in Cenovus Energy Hub represents one of the most significant in the City of Lloydminster’s history, and as such, the community engagement strategy for this project had to be scaled to meet strong public interest. In addition to establishing a dedicated project website and conducting two community-wide surveys, since 2021, the City has hosted more than 10 in-person engagement opportunities and sought input from more than 50 regional stakeholders, including user groups, local governments, and non-profit organizations. Visit YourVoiceLloyd.ca for more information.

No. The stormwater retention pond shown in the Cenovus Energy Hub site plan cannot be used for swimming, watercraft or skating.

The retention pond is required as part of the city-wide stormwater system. Known as Lake K, it was slated for expansion before the site was selected for the new facility. Once the site was selected, the City of Lloydminster prioritized seamless integration and connectivity between the facility and the pond, further enhancing the site's beautification. Long-term, the project will incorporate walking trails and other natural elements surrounding the stormwater pond.