Chair of Community Services Councillor Mark King says city council will soon have to make a big decision on a potential new arena project.
A recommendation came forward in December from the committee recommending the Steve Omischl Sports Complex as the ideal location for a new facility.
See related: New arena replacement needs to move forward
See related: Local committee gives Omischl the new for new arena location
“We will have the recommendation that came forward from the arena committee to council, and that should be coming very, very closely,” stated King.
“I know staff were working because we had the other side of the issue, we had the public sector side, dealing with the property issues...and then we have the private sector side.
“Staff have been working on that part of it so we should see something out very shortly publicly as far as that tender process is concerned. It will be up to council to decide whether or not they support the recommendations for the committee. I think, by and large Omischl is the site of preference and it makes an awful lot of sense,” added King.
North Bay is seeing what happens when North Bay’s only up-to-date facility is locked down for a major event like the upcoming Ford World Curling Tour which will leave the ice at the Gardens pebbled from March 17th to 25th.
Since North Bay does not have an arena close to the size of the Gardens in the area, the North Bay AAA Major Midget Trappers will play their final against Sudbury with home games played nearly an hour away in Temiscaming, Quebec.
“I can’t say that I have heard an awful lot about it,” King said about not realizing how handcuffed North Bay ice users become when the Gardens is not available.
“I know from my own experience, with respect to West Ferris, there is no question we have to rebuild that, that is just not a question. The big issue for me quite frankly, is how do we pay for it. I am going to throw a figure out there of $30 million and I know right now depending on what provincial or federal opportunities are out there, we are looking at about $1.6 million a year to carry that amount of money over a 25 to 30 year period. So how do we do that as a city?“
King says he realizes something has to move forward regarding a new arena but he is really concerned about the cost whether it's built at the Omischl Sports Complex or at a central spot like Memorial Gardens.
“There is no question, we need to replace it period, and I fully agree with that but we have to figure out, and I have not heard a plan yet from city staff, as to how that happens,” said King.
“My last Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) meeting I did make representation to the infrastructure minister from the province explaining to them that we had this project that we needed to move forward with. However I get the feeling that the province is really out of money, and quite frankly, so how do we make that happen? And the Feds obviously have pulled back again on their infrastructure money for another year so I don’t know, to be very honest with you. We will have to see how it progresses.”
