Officials with an art program that assists artists with developmental disabilities confirm the studio will return to its former home in the Fairview Arena and Community Hall in mid-July.

In a letter addressed to the friends of Indefinite Arts Centre, Jung-Suk Ryu, the program’s CEO, confirmed that the hall in the 8000 block of Fairmount Drive Southeast has been repaired and deemed structurally sound and safe for occupancy.

Indefinite Arts Centre, which also offers classes and workshops to children and families, is scheduled to reopen within the facility on Monday, July 16 and plans are underway to host a welcome back party for the artists, their families, their support staff and the program’s staff.

The program has been displaced from its regular home following the collapse of the roof of the Fairview Arena on February 20, 2018.

“I would like to take this time to thank the City of Calgary for being a supportive partner in helping us through this ongoing transition,” said Ryu in his letter. .”I would also like to once again thank YMCA Calgary for giving us a wonderful temporary space at Shane Homes YMCA immediately following the February 20, 2018 incident. We will miss working in your space and with your amazing team of staff and volunteers — but we also know this is the very beginning of what we hope to be a longstanding partnership.”

The investigation into the collapse of the arena’s roof continues and a cause has not been confirmed.

According to city officials, the arena’s locker rooms are being demolished at the recommendation of an insurance company and a report is being prepared by a contracted engineer to determine if the ice surface can be salvaged. The demolition effort has taken longer than expected.

On February 19, fire crews responded to the building after Bruce Falconer, manager of Fairview Arena, and City of Calgary safety codes officer Rob Trotta, voiced their concerns with the integrity of the building. Officials found the roof to be unsafe and the entire building, including the community hall, was deemed unsafe for occupancy. The following day, the roof of the uninhabited building gave way.

No structural issues were identified during the last inspection of the building prior to the collapse. The inspection occurred in 2015 and was conducted in accordance with the City of Calgary’s protocol of the time where facilities were assessed every five years. The City is reviewing its protocols.

The Fairview Women’s Hockey Arena Society and Indefinite Arts Society are the licensed operators of the building and are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility situated on City of Calgary land.