Winkler City Council is in the final stages of planning before construction will begin on the Meridian Exhibition Centre expansion (MEC). The city has approved the cost of around $668,000 for the final design and engineering, says Winkler Mayor Martin Harder.

"We have verbal assurances from them that we will be coming in at budget or less," says Harder. "We're counting on that, and we're going to be dealing with the borrowing by-law for that as well in the near future, and we needed to make sure this step was done. So for all intents and purposes we are planning on starting in 2018."

The final design of the expansion is planned for completion in the next month to six weeks, with hopes to begin construction before the end of the year.

Winkler's long-held plans for the MEC have been scaled back. Instead of an 1,800 to 2,000 seat primary arena, the expansion would include a second arena with seating for 400 to 600.

Currently, the final price of the expansion is still uncertain says, Harder. Council wants to make sure the final price tag will be less than its estimated $17 million.

Harder notes council would not be spending the almost $700 thousand in design and engineering costs if they were less than confident it would come in at, or under budget.

At a public consultation, residents and hockey players expressed their thoughts and concerns on the vision for the plan of the second arena.

Some believe the arena should be larger to attract major tournaments and events to the growing city. Contrary to those opinions, Harder says a larger arena just isn't feasible financially, because the city isn't able to borrow that much money. "If you go to the bank and you say, 'Okay how much money can I borrow for a mortgage?' And he tells you, you can't borrow any more than that."

With both the MEC, and future plans for a wastewater treatment plant, Harder says they will have reached the city's borrowing limit.

Though the arena won't have the 2,000 person seating capacity some would like, Harder says less seating will not prevent a single minor hockey player from becoming an NHL star.

Ice time is direly needed according to Harder. The community wanted more ice, and an exhibition centre, and this was the best design to make that a reality.

Harder added, council appreciates all the input given, however, ultimately a decision had to be made based on what was affordable.