Construction on a new arena for Sault Ste. Marie's Ontario Hockey League team could commence within a year. In late July the federal and provincial governments announced funding of $7.4 million towards the arena development.
A federal-provincial media release states the project could be complete by 2004 with each senior government level committing $3.7 million apiece towards a new $21.4-million downtown arena. The remainder of the funding would come from the city and the private sector. The Soo Greyhounds hockey club, the proposed 4,200-seat building's major tenant, has promised $7 million toward the project.
The city's existing arena, the 53-year-old Memorial Gardens, is in dire need of improvements with about $4.4 million worth of repairs needed to bring the building up to standard.
