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Ammonia concern prompted closure of Abbotsford ice rink

Ice arena at Matsqui Recreation Centre has been shuttered for more than a week
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The closure of the Matsqui Recreation Centre ice arena was prompted by concerns about the risk of an ammonia leak, the City of Abbotsford says.

The arena has been closed for more than a week, prompting a variety of user groups to seek ice time at other facilities.

The closure came after Technical Safety BC (TSBC) ordered the removal of two key ice-making components, which it said could fail and accidentally release pressurized ammonia in the ice plant’s refrigeration system.

That order followed a report that ammonia was leaking within a closed system, affecting the ability of the refrigeration system to retain pressure. The city says no ammonia was ever leaked into the air, and that no people were exposed. A spokesperson also said that an alarm system would have detected any ammonia leak into the air.

The safety of area refrigeration systems across the province have come under scrutiny since last fall, when three workers in Fernie died after an ammonia leak at that community’s arena. In November, TSBC issued a safety order requiring public ammonia refrigeration plants to test their brine solutions.

The city says it is waiting on replacement parts to be delivered from the United States before it can reopen the arena.