The City of St. Catharines will take over operations at the arena
The Lions Club of Merritton has decided against extending the lease for Merritton Centennial Arena.
The lease will end at the end of May, at which point the City of St. Catharines will take over operations.
The City says it has set aside funds in this year's operating budget to support operations
Lions Club treasurer Keith Brown says it's a "bittersweet decision" for the Lions, who have historical ties to the arena.
"We’re proud to have been a part of the history of the rink since day one, but the timing is right for this. The business climate of arena operations has changed dramatically since we first started this partnership with the City," said Brown. "As we look at our longterm vision as a club, we’ve made a decision to focus our efforts on building on the many other ways we are supporting the community."
The arena was built in 1967 as an open-air rink
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