Councillor wants city to rescind $3M for U of S rink

Saskatoon city council is headed for a vote on retracting a promise of $3 million for a University of Saskatchewan rink project.

Coun. Darren Hill told council on Monday night that he intends to ask for a vote to rescind the city’s $3-million commitment to Merlis Belsher Place, a $41-million twinpad replacement for Rutherford Rink.

In a Tuesday interview, Hill noted the city’s financial position has changed since council narrowly approved the $3 million a month ago.

Wednesday’s provincial budget pulled $11.4 million in annual grants-in-lieu from the city, leaving council and city hall administration scrambling to try to make up the shortfall.

“I do know there’s some interest to revisit this,” Hill said.

He voted against the $3-million contribution on Feb. 27. Hill said this is the first time in his decade on council that a decision has been made to give a substantial amount of money to a third-party project outside of a budget process.

Several councillors argued to wait until after the provincial budget before making a decision on the rink money.

The vote to award the money was 6-5, so only one councillor would need to switch sides to retract the money in a second vote on April 24.

Hill said he wants the contribution to be reconsidered at budget talks in November.

Council had already voted in 2016 to contribute $1 million to the project in order to secure more ice time for minor hockey.

Hill said he’s confident the project will proceed on time and on budget, even without the $3 million from the city.

The arena is slated to be completed in the fall of 2018.

Coun. Troy Davies, the strongest supporter of the rink contribution, said council made the decision after more than three hours of debate.

“To go back now and do this all over again sets a bad precedent,” Davies said Tuesday in a text message. “We also passed ($800,000) for playgrounds for the new schools and we are not asking to rescind that decision.”

Davies said he has confidence the administration will come up with a plan to address the shortfall created by the province removing grants-in-lieu.

The $3 million for the rink would be paid over six years.

The provincial budget will result in the city receiving about $8 million less than expected in 2017.

The twin-pad arena complex, which also features two regulation NBA-sized basketball courts, is supposed to provide 1,500 hours a year for minor hockey. It would also provide a replacement for the 88-year-old Rutherford Rink, where the U of S Huskies now play.