The Town of Tecumseh could be on the hook to pay a significant amount of the $891,000 cost to repair damage from a flood at Tecumseh Arena last month.
Over the Canada Day long weekend, a surge of water from a storm sewer backup left an inch of water on the floor in the front lobby, dressing rooms, washrooms, canteen, and administrative offices.
About 34 millimetres of rain fell on July 2, but a report detailing the cost of repairs is going to town councillors on Tuesday night.
Soon after the flood, a restoration service arrived to assess the damage, while a clean-up crew ripped up the floors in the impacted areas.
Much of that work is done, and the arena could return to normal operations by the middle of the month.
However, it's unlikely protective surfaces in the lobby and washrooms will be replaced right away. Users will have to remove their skates in those areas until a permanent floor is installed next May after the upcoming hockey season.
If councillors decide to replace the entire floor to ensure consistency, the town might have to pay $125,000 because the insurance provider won't cover those expenses.
A report to councillors said while the insurance company's investigation is ongoing, there are indications it will cover the cost of repairs in flood-impacted areas.
The report also recommends council approve hiring an independent engineering consultant to inspect the stormwater infrastructure and recommend measures to prevent a future flood. The cost of that is estimated to be another $30,000.