Diavik workers complete the Yellowknife Multiplex's second ice surface
Photo courtesy of Diavik
Completion of the second ice pad has become a partnership between Diavik, the City of Yellowknife, Facilities for Kids, contractors and many other local contributors. Consequently, construction of the facility has been greatly accelerated.
"The City just ran out of money to complete the project as early as they'd hoped," said Tom Hoefer, Diavik's Manager of External & Internal Affairs. "As a result, it wasn't going to be completed for perhaps two years." Now the completion date is expected to be December of this year.
When the project ran into trouble, Yellowknife's Mayor Gordon Van Tighem went looking for money. Diavik realized it had a lot more to contribute than money. If the company stepped in as project manager, said Hoefer, "We concluded we could do it on a schedule that would see it finished by year-end. We included a price tag of something over $2 million dollars," he said – which effectively cut in half City's original estimate of $4.6 million.
In the end, Diavik contributed three essential components: project expertise, funding, and financing. "Because of our expertise in construction and our buying power, we realized if we managed the project, we would be able to finish this arena much cheaper than the City could," said Glenn Zelinski, Diavik's Manager of Trades and Labour Force Development.
"The Facility of Kids, which is a non-profit organization that raises funds to build and to assist sports groups in building and doing programs here, has committed to raise a million dollars," said Zelinski. "We said we could finish that arena for just in excess of $2 million."
As well, Diavik donated $50,000 toward the facility "to get the message out that this is a good project," said Hoefer. That message got out.
Once the community and Diavik's suppliers and contractors saw what Diavik was doing, everyone wanted to become involved. Soon in-kind contributions, money and supplies began to pour in. "It's a bandwagon," said Hoefer. "I think a lot of people just jumped on because it's a nice thing to do. It's gratifying."
Besides turning into a major community relations builder, the project spawned some unusual partnerships. "Three electrical companies joint ventured the electrical contract on this project," said Zelinski. "That's very uncommon. And that's the sort of thrust that's behind this. There have been a lot of local contractors and suppliers who said, ‘Wow! This is really good stuff – we want to be part of it.'"
Also uncommon, is the fact that this will be the first ice surface in Canada to be laser-levelled.
Yellowknife's mayor was earlier quoted as saying, "It is indeed a compliment to Diavik, Facilities for Kids, our Community Services staff and all those participating from our business community that this partnership has created such positive results in such a short time."
Diavik was only too happy to help bring ice to Canadians – after all, as Canada's premier diamond mine, that is what they do best.