Sport North Bay asked all 29 council candidates in the upcoming municipal election a series of questions pertinent to the organization and the community at large.
This part of the survey asks: What is your vision for the community in regard to the so-called soft services — the environment, sport and recreation, facilities, culture and tourism?
Check out our council poll here.
Check out our mayor's poll here.
BayToday's extensive election reporting can be found here.
Below are the responses from all of the candidates who participated. Some answers have been edited for clarity.
Mac Bain
I know how vital these services are to a community's health and hope someday, everyone will stop considering them "Soft." Everyone has an opinion on the Casino revenue. I will be encouraging the next Council to create a Board of Non-Politicians that will administer 25 per cent of the City's casino revenue. The Board would have the autonomy to direct the funds to children's groups (art, drama, music, Big Sisters and Brothers, Boy and Girl Scouts, sports clubs, etc.). I would hope the Board would consider using the funds for supplies, a team, a club, rental fees, equipment, and capital infrastructure, but the Board would have the autonomy to determine the parameters.
Francine Boulay
Great question. Culture and Tourism should be so much more developed. We do have a beautiful city and we are absolutely at the heart when it becomes the location.
Richard Cadotte
To deal with it once it's needed, at this time not enough information.
Ralph Celentano
I have been an active advocate for North Bay and its many incarnations of our Tourism Department, sports tourism, conventions and conferences. I was a high school football referee in the early- to mid-1980s. As a paramedic, I was a volunteer member of the Laurentian Ski patrol (North Bay and Mattawa). I played youth and men's division soccer; coached youth and ladies soccer; refereed all ages and was secretary/registrar for the NB Soccer Association under then-president Les Wilkinson, 1984; co-coached West Ferris Minor Hockey Association 1985-86 season; member of NB Scuba Club; member of North Bay Winter Carnival committee, media relations and Chair 87-89.
Legacy projects (1): As Optimist Club President, I was Co-chair of the fundraising for Optimist double diamond Ball Park on Wallace Road 1989-1992 raising $125,000 dollars in partnership with the city and province result is $250,000+ facility plus lights installed because of provincial funding; committee member on the 1994 National Peewee Baseball championships with Chair Peter Topolie; Fundraising Committee member of the 1996 Canada-Wide Science Fair held in North Bay.
Legacy projects (2): As President of the Kiwanis Club of North Bay, performed a community needs analysis addressing a closed in-town ski hill. Held discussions with city staff, NBMCA and other community leaders. Submitted funding application to NOHFC for provincial support. Brought the million-dollar hole-in-one golf fundraiser to North Bay raising $125,000 for the Kiwanis Club of North Bay pledge towards a $950,000 community campaign for the $3.1 million four-season tourism recreation facility currently known as Laurentian Ski Hill.
I was a snowmobile enthusiast owning a snowmobile and OFSC pass for years; I was a recreational curler in North Bay and Sturgeon Falls 2005-2010; worked with NB Tourism Dept and the city's Event Hosting Fund to present a service Club 500+ delegate convention bid 2004 for 2007 which was awarded to North Bay but event later moved to another city in Ontario; committee member of Optimist Club District Convention of 503 delegates, spouses and children in 1988.
Legacy Projects (3): My recent project was chair of the $500,000 inclusive multi-generational playground Kiwanis Playworld at Lee Park which has 12 stations of "free" outdoor fitness equipment. Invited different playground companies to review our campaign prior to the city tender process. Dispatched 24 letters of endorsement from youth groups, sports associations, and community partners seeking funding to secure two foundations.
As for culture, I have chaired and invited adjudicators to engage our Kiwanis Music Festival's thousands of annual participants; hosted and produced concerts at our waterfront bandshell including this year's Waterfront Concert for Peace in Ukraine raising $7,400 to aid the purchase of non-lethal equipment through The Vest Project organizers; worked with and celebrated four Olympic winter athletes and one NHL-level North Bay athletes; worked as the Director of Sales and Marketing for the former Jr. A NB Skyhawks hockey franchise during Hockeyville 2007; attended NB Sport Hall of Fame functions; chaired two installations of the Downtown North Bay Walk of Fame celebrating many inductees for their work on a provincial, national and international level.
Relating to the hospitality sector with tourism, I have been fortunate to work with some groups and organizations hosting their out-of-town participants at a local hotel during the COVID-19 pandemic knowing how important the economic benefits of sport play in our community.
- Excited to review the city Parks Dept. Playground Master Plan to see if any synergies or partnerships can be introduced;
- The city's 'All Wheel Jump Track' has funding partners ready to go for 2023 next to the new Oak Street Outdoor Basketball and Half-Court facility;
- Read and continue with the Growth Community Improvement Plan;
- Encourage Canadore College initiatives as announced ie: Sports Dome at Commerce Court Campus, encourage the leadership of the city's Active Transportation Plan for the health and well-being of our citizens; and,
- Partner with Tourism North Bay to explore areas where the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) could fund community initiatives or provide financial assistance to broaden current activities within their Sport Tourism mandate.
Sheldon Forgette
As a proud member of the North Bay community, I will always lend my support to positive initiatives that will benefit the quality of life of our citizens. You saw this from me when I served as deputy mayor during the 2014-2018 term. I moved a motion to have a wheelchair and stroller accessibility mat researched and deployed at our waterfront.
As budget chief, I supported our tourism and culture by increasing funding for the right initiatives I even moved and voted for a Municipal Accommodation Tax where we collect tax from people who stay in our hotels to use these funds to support tourism and culture.
My commitment to our community is unwavering, In 2017, as Chair of the Council's General Government committee, I protected history and vetoed a motion that would have shipped the Dionne Quints home out of North Bay to Sundridge.
Gary Gardiner
Eco-tourism is a good fit for our environment.
Opportunities: The North Bay–Mattawa canoe route, extensive mountain bike trails, the Nordic ski club cross country trails, the Laurentian Ski Hill, road cycling in the area with wide paved shoulders, North Bay Canoe club facilities, etc. We really do have an exceptional natural environment that surrounds our City so we need to do more to promote eco tourism.
Much has been said about sports tourism as an economic driver but these events also add to the vitality of our community. The World Curling Championships brought our community together and alive with volunteers and spectators in hosting the world. How do we do more?
I believe the North Bay Tourism Board needs to invite the community to be part of a strategic planning process that will define how we value and define tourism, set goals and how to achieve them, and identify metrics to measure success. Included in that process would be sport and eco tourism.
As some of you may know 60 per cent of the accommodation tax collected by the City funds the tourism board and the remaining 40 per cent is to be used to sutourism-relatedelated assets within the City. Sports events require hotel rooms thus contributing to the accommodation tax revenue. In the proposed strategic planning process we would need to define the budget priorities for this tax revenue and how it can best be used to support organizing committees, the hosting of events and other related expenses.
Peter Gregory
I believe we need to build on the current sports recreation, culture and tourism vision of our City. My vision is to continue to clean up our downtown so that all citizens feel safe, be it at work or at leisure.
Maggie Horsfield
This is what makes a community.
My vision is to focus on the implementation of the Parks Master Plan and the Active Transportation Plan. In addition, working with and supporting Creative Industries, the Capitol Centre, and other arts groups. As well as, fostering collaboration between the arts, cultures, and sports communities to work together on events that would benefit our tourism sector.
Water is life. Our natural environment cannot be undervalued. We have a duty as stewards of the land to respect the environment around us. When we make decisions that impact the environment, we need to look critically at the impacts they will have on the environment today and on future generations.
Having access to green space, parks, trails and other amenities supports our well-being, physically and mentally. There needs to be a focus on developing and supporting even more community spaces in neighbourhoods across the city from basketball courts to dog parks; the community is built on "soft services."
There is much more that needs to be focused on in regard to the soft services. Infrastructure and Business are other portfolios within municipal government but the Environment, Sports and Recreation, Culture, Arts, and Tourism are just as important and bring unquestionable value.
Sara Inch
My vision includes the following for the environment: vans instead of buses (with dynamic dispatching and fuelled responsibly), green bins, and protecting our drinking water and our habitats. For sports and recreation, I believe Laurentian Ski Hill could add lift services for summer mountain bikers and become a three season destination, another community pool would be lovely — possibly salt water and outdoors if indoors is too costly, and more cycle lanes with proper cycle crosses (no more expensive stop lights where crosswalks and cycle crosses could be used).
Regarding the arts I would continue to support Jaymie Lathem and the Creative Industries North Group. Regarding culture I believe we need to continue the positive trend of international students here and to include our francophone and Indigenous community at every City event. (I would also like to fix the clock at Memorial Gardens so that we can book concerts there and in doing so help that facility pay for itself!) As for tourism I believe we need to continue to promote our city as an outdoor destination and to encourage environmentally friendly tourists including of course sports tourism.
Scott Kile
It is my vision to make North Bay a destination. We need to attract business, families and strengthen our workforce. I am pleased to see the shovels go into the ground for the new indoor sports facility. There is power in numbers. It is an absolute necessity that we work with our community partners to enhance the ability to host sporting events that include out of town participants.
It is important to clean up the downtown (Oak, Main and McIntyre) area and make it an extension of our Waterfront. The need is urgent to take care of the homelessness, mental health, drug addiction and crime that has plagued our city. We need to add to our tax base by seeking out new industries, skilled labour and welcome new Canadians and families with open arms.
With the addition of the water park, basketball court and pickleball courts we are headed in the right direction and must keep going. It is important that every effort is made to ensure we have a green environment. We need to start looking at electric Zambonis for our arenas. I have a background in transit and alternate fuels. I am following with great interest OC Transpo in Ottawa as it is rolling out four electric transit buses. They have an aggressive green plan for the transit system. I intend to investigate that further. We can also improve on our recycling as we need to reduce our leachate at the landfill as it is aging.
Mark King
The recent announcement of $27 million of federal funding in support of the arena's construction poses several questions that the new Council will need to ask.
Furthermore, the past Council had asked staff for a business plan which was never presented. All these unknowns do not provide enough comfort for me to support them. Further, it should be noted that Covid has played a significant role in sports in general. I would need to hear from the hockey associations about what they consider to be acceptable enrolments in their programs and have these enrolment numbers increased or decreased from pre-Covid.
It should be noted that the minor hockey association is now floating the idea of reduced enrolment costs for players and are asking for support from Council. At this time, West Ferris Arena will need to be in use.
Jamie Lowery
As a community advocate and coach these services define a community. It is these elements that separate great from good. Culture, sport and recreation define a community's identity. From an economic development stand point, when companies are looking to relocate this is an element they often research. In order to attract the best and brightest workforce, you need to ensure the quality of life elements exist. In short, I would not consider these elements as "soft services." I believe they are essential to a helathy and vibrant community.
Justine Mallah
I completed an asset-based community development course in Spain under the leading researcher, Dr. Lindstrom. In this course, I gained tools to help cities identify what is really working (the strengths) and then build, promote, invest in, and maximize these strengths to create more of a community. Not many cities have two gorgeous lakes, numerous public beaches, a ski hill in the middle, and 100 kilometres of multi-use trails. These are some of our strengths and we need to protect and maintain them.
I strongly support greater public access to sport and recreation, such as the new outdoor basketball and pickleball courts, which are in use every day by community members. I understand there are plans to add a pump track, which is a type of bicycle course. I think this is great! I would love to look at adding some outdoor athletic workout equipment for community use. I’ve seen these in other cities, like Brampton, which seem to have a lot of use and allow for equitable access to workout equipment by people of all ages.
I believe we can increase advertising and support of City initiatives, such as the Summer Youth Centre initiative and Free after School Program that teach youth about physical activity, health and wellness, food and nutrition, arts and culture, and help with homework, as well as the diverse offerings put on by the library. As a councillor, I’d like to work more with community groups, businesses, and organizations to play a larger role in promoting public events, initiatives, and opportunities, such as Culture Days, World FusionFest, Gateway Theatre Guild initiatives, The Village initiatives, Stay on Your Feet classes for seniors, Ice Follies, and North Bay Golden Age Club activity centre. At times, community groups who put on initiatives for the public have limited resources and so it can be challenging to reach everyone. The City of North Bay could help with this.
As a City Councillor, I would also like to support and promote Indigenous Pow Wows and other cultural events, as well as cultural safety training opportunities.
Because 10% of our population is Franco-Ontarian, it would be great to partner with community groups, such as Les Compagnons to offer and support more Franco-Ontarian events. This could also attract members of the public from smaller neighbouring communities that have a large Franco-Ontarian population.
In regard to tourism, I’d like to continue promoting North Bay as a location for sports tournaments. Many tournaments have taken place in North Bay with great success, such as Pinty’s curling, ringette (the birthplace of ringette) and hockey tournaments, softball tournaments, triathlons and even cross country mountain bike races. We also can consider partnering with the North Bay Canoe Club for their regattas, as an example. We have wonderful sports tourism happening in our community and working to grow this will have an exceptional positive benefit to our community.
I understand North Bay has numerous community leagues for kids and adults. I would like to learn more about how the City is supporting these types of initiatives as well as whether there is more that can be done to advertise and assist.
As a Councillor, I hope to connect with community organizations and groups to learn more about how Council can better support the work you do. This also includes the arts and creative sectors. Cultural activities that bring everyone together, regardless of one’s financial means, can help build community connections and a sense of identity as a community.
“Soft services” as described in the question are the pieces that help create connections and build community. These services are integral to boosting the health of a community, both physical and mental health. They are also what help bring joy to citizens.
Dave Mendicino
The soft services, being surrounded by two lakes and an abundance of trails is what can set us apart from other cities. This Council has invested in bike lanes, multi-use and pickleball courts and playgrounds. We became a funding partner to Creative Industries in order to assist in growing the Sector. Continue to implement our Active Transportation Plan, our Parks Master Plan, and continue to grow Sport Tourism. Expand our Transit on-demand service which will reduce fuel costs.
Eric Morgan
All those services are the lifeblood of any community, I envision a city that embraces all of them. I would like to see more facilities like the new basketball courts off Oak Street, a bigger and better skate park (or any wheels). Events like the Bay Block Party should be happening every weekend if not the entire summer downtown. All these things bring about a better quality of life for the residents of the city and the more opportunities for our youth to find things to do with their time that keep them off the streets the better.
Deric Reichstein
Outdoor Recreation – Development of outdoor spaces and programs for family-friendly activities is a priority. I would like to continue the development of the park space between the downtown core and the Nipissing waterfront, as well as explore options to modernize all city parks and trails, develop further the area behind Memorial Gardens (between the highway corridor and arena property) and possibly adding an off-leash walking trail/dog park more central or north of the city (currently off-leash dog area is very isolated in the south end of the Municipality).
Derek Shogren
Soft services are an important part of the infrastructure of a city and should be given the same resources and importance as physical infrastructure.
Darryl Skinner
Council cannot lose sight of what‘s available to the community, surrounding communities and even the Province or the rest of Canada with regards to sports, recreation, facilities and culture.
We need to pair up with Tourism North Bay to bring in more sporting events and to keep all sporting activities local. We need open communication between the City/Council, all our sporting partners, organizations and schools. We all have to be on the same page and heading in the same direction.
Randall Tilander
My vision is that a much greater emphasis should be placed on outdoor activities rather than indoors. We should continue to promote cultural vents at the Capitol and at school auditoriums.
Ed Valenti
I think it’s safe to say that many residents live here in North Bay for our area lakes, parks, and outdoor amenities. Even more so with the Pandemic affecting traditional thinking. Tourism is a driver of our local economy, with sports tourism providing a significant boost to the city’s fortunes. Events like the 2018 World Women's Curling Championship bring greater awareness to the region. And more opportunities for our local businesses.
As chair of the Dionne Quints Museum, I have developed a more nuanced perspective of the history of our region. When the city intended to give the Quints home to Strong Township in 2016/2017, including paying part of the moving costs, my involvement began with the group trying to save the home from moving. Over time, I came to appreciate how the birth of the Quints was a major part of our region’s history. And very important to North Bay’s rapid development during the Great Depression. Rumours are that North Bay was close to bankruptcy during these difficult years. For its part, the birth of five identical girls changed Lakeshore Drive dramatically. Everyone had a job — if they wanted. Highway 11 may not have been a four-lane highway, had the need to accommodate three million visitors not arisen. That four-lane highway privilege might have gone to Sudbury.
Recognizing the great visual aspects of our region, I believe the city should continue the current goal of increasing trails and bike paths. After experiencing the trail system in European countries like Germany, it is easy to see how these pathways are important to good health. Both physically and mentally. The city should also consider enhanced recycling and composting initiatives. Extend and enhance the beach trails from the Gov. Dock area to Kinsmen Beach. Expand the premise of North Bay as a central hub connecting Northern Ontario to the south and east, while being a strategic intersection of the main north/south Ontario highway, and the Kings highway crossing Canada. The city needs to continue to advocate for a full-time Customs office. Utilize our extended runway to its fullest potential.
With the Pandemic bringing new light to our living styles, and a good internet connection, individuals can now work from home. For businesses, location becomes a moot point. For the worker, not so much. A better lifestyle is suddenly allowed to usurp where your job is or was. This is where the city can market itself as “Just south enough to be perfect”, as opposed to the current just north enough to be perfect.
And finally, I believe we need to develop a greater city presence towards Tourism, including incremental development of our waterfront. This may involve commercial opportunities that provide for the needs and wishes of our tourist guests.
Bill Vrebosch
Council committed to and developed the new outdoor courts that have really worked out well. The suggested eco-trail at Omischl has been really accepted. I was the Councillor who suggested the Lee Park skating rink. We have developed a lot of bike paths and where we get the chance to do it — ie, the new road being fixed between Lees Road and Mountainview.
Working with Canadore and Nipissing. Just think — a new community centre at Omischl and a new bubble at Canadore to handle many indoor sports during the winter.
Support and try not to conflict with our YMCA programs. The City supports KidSport by giving them an office and some computer benefits.
Tanya Vrebosch
I am a graduate of the Rec and Leisure program at Canadore College, so I am a big fan of it. It's the small things in life that make people happy. Again, my father, Councillor Bill Vrebosch, led the charge for the Lee Park Skating Oval and continues to advocate for more. This past winter we saw the expansion of the oval as well as the Kate Paceway opened up for use in the winter. Council has been supportive of Creative Industries and we have been expanding outdoor recreation facilities such as pickleball courts, basketball courts and the soon-to-be pump track. Soft services tend to get overlooked at budget time. I want to see more soft services, but it's usually the first thing that gets cut when it comes to the budget. It would be nice for us to take a look at soft services and what we want to see over the next X amount of years and how can we get there.
