Regional councillors have cleared the way for municipal staffers to continue developing a long-term plan to replace six aging ice rinks in metro with two multi-pad facilities.

The proposal is part of the city’s arena strategy, which council approved in principle after a lengthy debate on Tuesday.

The plan calls for the closure of ice rinks at the Halifax Forum, and the Devonshire, Bowles, Gray and LeBrun arenas. Those rinks would be consolidated into two multi-pad areas, one in peninsular Halifax, the other in Dartmouth.

The project comes with an $85 million price tag but is expected to save money in the long run through operating costs and energy efficiency. The savings are estimated to reach about $2 million a year.

“It may cost us a little bit in the capital to do this,” said Coun. David Hendsbee (Preston-Lawrencetown-Chezzetcook.) “But the biggest thing  though, is that we don’t put bandages on facilities that are hemorrhaging. You know, we have to make sure that these facilities that are getting old and are about to perhaps fail, we have to make sure that we have a timely replacement program in place to facilitate those.”

City staff recommends that the Halifax arena be built at the current Halifax Forum site. Dartmouth Crossing and Shannon Park are being considered for the Dartmouth location.

Coun. Dawn Sloane (Halifax Downtown) said she doesn’t like the idea of closing community ice rinks and worried about accessibility for underprivileged families.

“There’s a lot of children on the peninsula that really and truly can’t afford to get to some of these facilities such as the BMO Centre or over even to Dal, or the (Dartmouth) Sportsplex,” said Sloane. “They like to have their recreation in their community.”

The report suggests developing the Halifax facility first with a targeted opening date in 2014. The Dartmouth arena would open three years later.

Coun. Gloria McCluskey (Dartmouth Centre) took issue with that part of the plan.

“I can’t support the report, Your Worship,” she said. “Dartmouth was promised at the time of the BMO (Centre) that we would be next. I don’t know what’s changed. We’re still the same physically.”

McCluskey also told council she doesn’t think this is the right time to be dealing with the report because of the upcoming October election. She was the only councilor to oppose the plan.

The approval in principle allows staff to begin exploring timelines, budgets, possible partnerships and sites in detail.