Council approves replacement of rubber flooring in Birch Arena under budget

The Hutchinson City Council on Feb. 10 approved a late-added request to replace the rubber flooring in the West (Birch) Arena, accepting the low bid and confirming the item was included in the facilities replacement plan for 2026.

City staff told the council the West Arena flooring had reached its life expectancy and the facilities committee had vetted the request. Two quotes were obtained; the low bid, from All American Arena Products, was about $67,950, which staff said was under the $70,000 budgeted amount. Staff emphasized safety as the primary reason to replace the floor.

Officials said installation would begin after the ice season ends and would take approximately one to two weeks. A motion to approve the replacement was made and seconded and carried by voice vote.

The council recorded the motion and carried the approval; staff will coordinate scheduling and contractor arrangements with arena management.