VITEBSK, 20 April (BelTA) - The opening of the new indoor ice arena in Vitebsk has been postponed until the second half of 2022, project coordinator Dmitry Khodos told BelTA.
The mixed-use training complex is being built by the Belarusian-Czech company Ice Ring Technology, set up with the participation of Nativita Company (Beshenkovichi District) to launch a professional figure skating school in Vitebsk. The initial plans were to complete the project by autumn 2021. According to Dmitry Khodos, many foreign manufacturers of equipment involved in the project asked for a postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. In addition, investors have to make adjustments in the organization of work on the design of the facility, which has no analogues in Belarus.
The epidemiological situation forced everyone to change the tactics of passing the expertise and certification of the innovative structural solutions and technologies used. Nevertheless, all the project partners (including companies of the Czech Republic and Slovakia) confirm their participation in the project, and under an optimistic scenario there are plans to start construction works on the site by the end of 2021, Dmitry Khodos said. The project is being implemented in accordance with the schedule, agreed with the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee. The volume of investments for the construction of the ice arena has been estimated at Br4.5 million, but it can increase taking into account force majeure circumstances, the coordinator added.
The indoor training arena will be located next to the current Ice Palace of Sports and will be an arched structure made of aluzinc, which has unique anti-corrosion properties and durability. The total area of the one-story building will be almost 3,600 square meters, including the ice rink of 1,800 square meters. The facility will meet the requirements of the international figure skating and ice hockey federations. Up to 60 athletes will be able to train on ice at a time. The arena will include a coaching room, 6 equipped locker rooms, a choreography room and a training room, administrative offices and other service facilities, as well as a small balcony for the coaching staff.
The originality of the project, in addition to the ergonomic design solutions, is ensured by the use of innovative ice production equipment. The complex integrated system of Czech production is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Technological solutions will not only ensure the necessary mode of operation of the ice rink, but also optimize the operating costs of energy-intensive facility, in particular, by using the energy of melting ice for the heating needs. Thanks to this, the arena will operate autonomously without being connected to the city's heat supply network. The technology will reduce the operating costs of the arena approximately seven times compared with similar facilities. All technological processes will be automated. The Czech partner is ready to train specialists who will service the equipment. Moreover, the investor is interested in popularization and promotion of technologies in the markets of the Customs Union countries, while their practical implementation at the facility in Vitebsk will attract attention and increase confidence of potential buyers of innovative solutions, said Dmitry Khodos.
