By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Osoyoos’ Sun Bowl Arena is sporting a new $100,000 scoreboard thanks to a personal connection, Okanagan generosity and a bit of ingenuity. The best part however is the fact that it only cost the town $25,000.
The new, pre-loved, scoreboard was gifted to Osoyoos by West Kelowna as they were replacing theirs with a new LED display because of the need for more bells and whistles, like video replay capability required by the West Kelowna Warriors participation in the British Columbia Hockey League.
As luck would have it, Andrew Barnes, Lead Hand/Chief Engineer of Sun Bowl Arena had a personal connection with someone at the Royal LePage Place arena in West Kelowna.
Once the West Kelowna ice came out in May of this year (and after the municipality had completed its RFP and awarded the tender for a new display) Barnes got a team together that then drove up, picked up the display and brought it back with a couple of trailers.
The one metre diameter disco ball used for fun skates sits inside the new scoreboard. Don Urquhart photo.
There were some minor costs associated with it, he says. This included some engineering work to install steel beams to support the display which hangs above centre ice (as compared to the old one that sits at one end of the arena), a winch system to enable it to be raised and lowered in less than 10 minutes and other various things like ethernet cabling. One of the display panels needed replacing and that piece will be here by Sept. 13, Barnes said.
All told the “new” display cost $25,000 with a new model going for up to $100,000. “Whenever you get 25 cents on the dollar, you can’t pass it up,” said an elated Barnes.
He notes that the new display is a substantial improvement over the old board and can display things like team names, shots on goal and it comes with lighting for special effects on the ice.
And fear not, the Sun Bowl team even incorporated the disco ball used during public skate events. The 91 cm (3 ft) glittery ball sits suspended within the scoreboard and can be easily lowered when required.
“When everything’s ready, we’ll be able to switch over and use the new clock,” he says. The old one will be kept as a back up for about a year and then it will be retired.
“We just want to make sure all the bugs are worked out and next year in the summertime we’ll replace the computers in the other three displays because the new controller that the timekeeper will use will be a touch display,” he says.
Until that point, the controller will still be digital, but dependent on a laptop.
And speaking of timing, the timing couldn’t be better as the town’s five year plan already had the replacement of the scoreboard on the agenda for next year next year because the current one is already at the end of, or past, its life expectancy. “So when this came up we jumped on it,” Barnes adds.
The new 42″ wide door and ramp will enable access to the arena spectator area from the Mezzanine for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Don Urquhart photo
Barnes and his team were also busy with another seemingly small renovation job, but one that dramatically improves accessibility, enabling wheelchairs access to the arena seating area.
Installation of the new wheelchair accessible wrap was completed in May. This will allow access to the upper concourse in the arena via the stair lift. The new door is 42 inches wide and will accommodate a full size mobility chair.
Funding was granted by the town of Osoyoos Accessibility Fund.
The upstairs mezzanine also saw a facelift this quarter with all the walls completely painted, some new wainscotting and shelf the length of the view area.
