Eighteen months after their unapproved,outdoor ice rink shutdown, residents in the Scotty Creek area of Ellison are watching work start on the first phase of a project that will include creation of a new sports box that can be used as a rink in the winter and an outdoor sports facility the rest of the year.

Bruce Smith of the Central Okanagan Regional District said the first phase of work will include earthwork for the sports box and the site around it, as well as curbing, fencing, trails and landscaping. He said that work should be complete in a month.

The new sports box is located in the existing Scotty Creek community park, which already features a small soccer and baseball field and is adjacent to Ellison Elementary school.

The second phase of work鈥攖he actual construction of the sports box鈥攊s expected go to tender shortly after the regional board approves it annual budget next week.

The project was initially to be funded with $110,000 from the Canada/BC Gas Tax Community Works Fund for qualifying projects in the Central Okanagan East electoral area. That amount was approved by the regional board in the 2016 budget.

The first phase contract of more than $76,000 came in higher than expected, so, as a result, another $100,000 is being sought in the 2017 budget from the same fund to complete the work before summer.

According to the regional district, the sports box could be used in the summer for tennis and pickleball and then in the winter flooded and frozen for hockey and skating.