After more than 20 years, Brownsburg-Chatham will once again be managing its own arena.
Both Brownsburg-Chatham town council and the Municipalité régionale de comté (MRC) d’Argenteuil council have agreed that the municipality will take over managing the Aréna Gilles-Lupien in April of 2023.
The MRC and the municipality believe local management of the facility would open the door to more possibilities for its use.
The municipality owns the building, but the MRC has managed the arena since 2000. The MRC will continue to manage the Aréna Kevin-Lowe-Pierre-Pagé in Lachute.
“Aréna Gilles-Lupien is part of our history and houses the memories of several generations. In agreeing to transfer of arena management, Brownsburg-Chatham Council also announces its desire to maintain the primary purpose of this flagship infrastructure for the town and the population,” said Brownsburg-Chatham Mayor Kévin Maurice.
In February, Brownsburg-Chatham council granted a mandate to an architectural firm for the purpose of drawing up preliminary plans for the possible renovation and upgrading of the arena.
“The MRC d’Argenteuil is delighted with the intentions of the Town of Brownsburg-Chatham with regard to the future of the Aréna Gilles-Lupien and will continue to offer technical support for the follow-up. Moreover, the town is likely to be eligible for various programs or funds for which the MRC does not qualify,” said MRC d’Argenteuil Prefect Scott Pearce.
The town of Brownsburg-Chatham intends to maintain the activities and events at the arena for the 2023-2024 season. The activities of sports associations, such as the Club de patinage artistique de Lachute figure skating club, l’Association de hockey mineur de Lachute minor hockey, and adult leagues will be maintained as-is until April 2024, at rates similar to previous years.
The municipality is currently evaluating the options available for the arena. The main objective is to preserve the facility as an integral part of the history of the community while diversifying the services it offers.
