City staff favours elaborate process to monetize, name new arena

In November 2024, North Bay City Council approved a $63-million contract for the design and construction of the twin-pad arena and community centre to be located at the Steve Omischl Sports Complex on Lakeshore Drive.

See related: $63M twin pad arena and community centre approved

While some in municipal circles appeared to hope a simple motion with support from around the council table would decide the name of the new building, City of North Bay staff is pivoting from such a notion and is now recommending the establishment of various policies regarding naming recognition, legacy and sponsorship opportunities.

A report from Ian Kilgour, the director of community services, gives a recommended course of action during the Tuesday, Jan. 28 regular meeting that would see the council direct staff to develop a municipal “Sponsorship Policy” to guide, identify, evaluate and finalize sponsorship opportunities at the North Bay Community and Recreation Centre and other city-owned facilities.

Council would, according to Kilgour's report, also direct staff to review community recognition practices to develop a "Recognition Initiative" to provide opportunities for individuals to be recognized in a meaningful and highly visible way at the North Bay Community and Recreation Centre.

Since the approval of construction, Kilgour notes "There has been a growing interest in recognizing those that have made a lasting impact on the North Bay’s sports community. City staff have initiated a review of community recognition practices in our community as well as in other jurisdictions."

See also: A ground breaking experience at Steve Omischl Sports Complex

Acknowledging naming opportunities, sponsorship and recognition initiatives are common for municipal facilities used for arts, entertainment, recreation and sport and the community interest regarding naming opportunities at the new building, Kilgour notes staff undertook a fact-gathering project to "identify successful sponsorship strategies that have been undertaken and implemented by other municipalities for large scale capital projects."

The result of the staff's research shows Ontario municipalities have successfully recently partnered with local businesses and organizations to secure significant ongoing financial support for their capital facilities through sponsorship, with a few examples found below:

• The Town of Wasaga Beach secured a $400,000 naming rights agreement with Zancor Homes, granting the company naming rights for the facility’s two ice rinks for 20 years, resulting in an annual contribution of $20,000/year.
• The City of Peterborough secured a $600,000, 10-year naming rights agreement with Miskin Law for its new community complex, which includes a twin-pad arena, library, and other facilities, generating $60,000/year.
• The City of Barrie's Holly Community Centre was renamed the Peggy Hill Team Community Centre as part of a $640,000, eight-year agreement, generating $80,000/year.

Per the report, the "Sponsorship Policy would be guided by the principle of generating non-taxation revenue to assist in offsetting a portion of new facility expenses."

With council approval, the developed Sponsorship Policy would "provide a clear and consistent framework for managing sponsorship opportunities. This proposed policy would ensure the fair and transparent administration of these partnerships, benefiting both the City and the community while upholding the City’s values and public image.

"Once developed, the policy would guide the evaluation and award of sponsorship opportunities, ensuring alignment with community goals and financial sustainability."

Part of the recommendation to the council is the development of a Recognition Initiative for the new centre "to celebrate the sports achievements of
individuals in the community. The initiative will focus on acknowledging local contributions to sports excellence at the local, regional, and/or national levels."

According to the report, the Recognition Initiative may include:

• Opportunities to celebrate achievements through public events and displays within the new North Bay Community and Recreation Centre.
• A communication plan and display to share stories of sports success, while promoting the City’s commitment to athletic excellence using new modern technological tools.

"Developing a Recognition Initiative will highlight achievements, foster community pride, inspire future generations, and strengthen North Bay’s reputation as a community that fosters athletic talent and excellence," per Kilgour's report. "It will provide the blueprint to plan, design and implement a meaningful and highly visible method to recognize these individuals and their outstanding achievements."