Discussions

http://www.qcountryfm.ca/news-weather/news-sports-details/newsarticle/sportsplex-opting-for-vending-machines-instead-of-concession-stand/  
 
This is really too bad! Vending machine for the basics is fine but the classic "rink food" i'm sure will be missed.  
 
One would think that they are concerned about turning a profit, some price changes/increases would be tested before choosing to close???

It looks like there have already been attempts at making changes to keep the facility financially sustainable. I guess at some point the difficult decisions have to be made.  
 
From the link: "After many attempts over the past several years to provide food choices in a financially sustainable manner, city officials have decided it is time to move to a different food service model. "  
 
Facility Manager Jeff Elliot says the decision has been a long time coming."

Sad to hear, I grew up on the North Hill and spent most my youth at the Sportsplex...every weekend at the swimming pool or skating rink and even the paddling pool in the summer was all topped off with a trip to the canteen! Even when the school division does track and field events it was great to be able to go in and grab a freezie to cool down. I sure will miss thos rink fries!

It is one of those decisions as to what you want to lose money on. The canteen in the Keystone can turn a profit by having a much larger crowd to fund. Does the city do like they do with splash parks and such and money is paid in wages rain or shine (profit or loss). They said it was private before which failed, and since we have been subsidising the canteen. They tried looking for someone to take it over but no takers. One was willing to supply vending machines to help bring in at least a little snack. One needs a little hot dog cart like at the end of nights at the bar for days that have skating and track meets.

I've wondered in the past if possibly building an addition onto the front of the building where the ramps meet would be a solution. If you put an eating establishment there, it could have access from outside the facility and street exposure.  
 
It would be off to the side where the benches and bins are in the picture.  
 
Edited by PuddleJumper, 2019-03-28 23:20:43

You gotta let it go! It doesn't make any money. The City isn't going to spend money to build a restaurant or an "eating establishment" off the front. If you really are craving a greasy rink burger that bad take the kids to Joe Beeverz after they are finished.

Frankly, I don't give a damn, I'm in Winnipeg.  
 
And you wouldn't build a thing unless you had a multiyear contract with a third party to pay rent. It wouldn't be a "canteen", but probably a coffee shop of some kind, and only if commercially viable.  
 
There is a big difference between a canteen buried in the back of a building and a storefront visible and accessible from the street.

Obviously you have an opinion on the matter. This location is just a couple blocks from Carbone's Fast Fired Pizza, Montana's, Subway and Starbucks. It really doesn't make sense to open up a cafe right there when competing multi-national chains are just a stone's throw away. And, I don't think tax payers would be happy with the price tag of opening one and operating a failing business.

LOL! Yes, 1.4km is "a couple of blocks", you've got to be kidding me.  
 
Like I said previously, this doesn't affect me, as I'm in Winnipeg. But yes, I do have an opinion. I only brought it up because I think that a lot of the problem with the canteen not being profitable is that nobody goes to the canteen unless already in the building.  
 
I'm not saying that they SHOULD build something there, but that it should maybe be considered to see if there is an opportunity to create something profitable. There is a world of difference between a dark, windowless canteen and a bright, airy coffee shop with it's own entrance and windows facing the street. There is an entire residential neighborhood that would have a new spot for beverages and baked goods.  
 
I'm not saying build it, I'm saying gauge interest from the private sector.

This is funny coming from someone that lives in Winnipeg. How close is "close" in Winnipeg?? I don't even live in Brandon, but my "commute" is less than 15 minutes, how long is yours?

I lived in Brandon for 40 years, and I don't really understand what my Winnipeg commute has to do with it.  
 
I don't really understand why you are having such a hard time with my concept. On foot, 1.4 km is a bit of a distance, especially both ways. The Sportsplex is right in the middle of a residential area. Every block east of it and up the hill is residential. A huge number of the surrounding residential units are in multifamily dwellings.  
 
Just because a canteen buried way back in the building doesn't work is not evidence that an actual eating establishment with street frontage will not, they are apples and oranges. People say "Let's go get coffee" all the time, nobody ever suggests going to the canteen. Most people in the neighborhood do not think of the Sportsplex Canteen as a place to grab a coffee with friends, or to buy a quick lunch.  
 
A sub shop in that location would probably do very good, as would a Tim Horton's. With a K-8 school next door, I bet noon hours would be quite busy. If it was a Timmies, there would probably be a problem with people plugging up the ramp trying to get their coffee.  
 
Again, I'm not saying "Build it and they will come", I'm saying study the concept. My guess is, there is a viable business there. With the current configuration, there is not a viable business there.