CORNER BROOK, N.L.
In the end, the answer was yes.
But deciding to accept the funding for a new regional aquatic centre in Corner Brook wasn’t just as easy as saying yes for some.
The city received approval from the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment to proceed with the new centre under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program in May.
The $24.7-million centre will be located at Grenfell Campus. The city will provide just over $5 million towards the cost with the province contributing more than $9.3 million, the federal government over $7.1 million and over $3.2 million will come in the form of a GST/HST rebate.
Even though the funding was announced the city was still required to enter into an infrastructure agreement with Municipal Affairs in order to receive it. The motion to do that was presented during the Monday, June 22 public council meeting. While council members supported building the centre and recognize the need for it, they did have some concerns.
Coun. Vaughn Granter opened the discussion, urging the city be cautious.
“We must ensure that the committees that are put in place must ensure that the project is on time and on budget, and I know that’s sometimes very difficult.”
Granter said there has been a discussion among council that overages would be part of the city’s responsibility.
“So, it’s keen that we must keep our eye on the project once it gets started such that we don’t run into overages even in the small amounts.”
That also applied to the operation of the facility, with Granter referencing increased operating costs encountered by the Bell Aliant Centre in Charlottetown, P.E.I. during its first year of operation. He said there is a need for due diligence when the city goes to select an operator for the centre.
He also suggested it was time for residents to know what the centre will look like. That he said would help to break down some of the barriers. He said it’s not a Grenfell pool that city residents use.
“It’s a community recreation aquatic centre owned by the City of Corner Brook, the asset that belongs to the City of Corner Brook and we need be clear on that as we move this project forward.”
Using a baseball analogy, Coun. Bernd Staeben said it was too early for some concerns.
“Let’s remind everybody here now this is the first inning of a nine-inning game and there’s a lot of opportunities here yet for us to step up to the plate and make sure that all the corrections are made and that we (are) on time and on budget and an operation here that we can afford.”
Coun. Linda Chaisson said her concern was also the possibility of overruns and as a council, they can’t think there won’t be any. She also questioned if the city has a buy-in from the other municipalities.
Mayor Jim Parsons said the city has memorandums of understanding with Steady Brook, Massey Drive and Mount Moriah to negotiate and support the pool.
To which Chaisson responded: “What about financially?”
Parsons said that is still to be determined and the MOU commits everyone to negotiate in good faith.
She also felt people need to know what the facility will include.
Coun. Josh Carey added, “there are a lot of balls in the air on this project that we don’t know about, that we need to wrestle to the ground.”
The centre has a projected operating cost of $2.25 million per year and it’s that operational long-term impact Carey said really concerns him.
Deputy mayor Bill Griffin was also concerned about the cost but said the centre is needed in order to attract young families or people to come here and want to stay here.
“We need this if we’re going to move forward as a city.”
Parsons acknowledged there will be a significant expense with the facility but said there will also be a significant revenue. He said the city was in an ideal situation in identifying funding and being able to persuade the partners it is a project worth investing in.
“And we know our budget before we design or build anything.”
Twitter: WS_DianeCrocker
@western_star
