Petes, Lakers skeptical of replacement arena located at Morrow Park
One property and two separate plans make for a convoluted conversation, expert says
Keeping Morrow Park as an option for a major events centre may limit recreational opportunities there.
It’s a point community services commissioner Sheldon Laidman tried to convey to city councillors Monday night. Council approved feasibility and concept plans for a twinpad arena at Morrow Park in the first phase of a project that will include a third pad and aquatics centre in future phases.
Council also voted to keep Morrow Park as a potential site for a Memorial Centre replacement at a later date. It commissioned Sierra Planning and Management to study the viability of Morrow Park and downtown options for the events centre.
“The two reports being on the same agenda, they’re obviously linked tremendously and intertwined,” said Laidman, in an interview, “but it’s also made the issue a little bit more convoluted for the public as well as for council.”
Creating a concept that leaves room for a major events centre complicates the planning, he said.
“It would have been more streamlined if the decision had been made to ensure a downtown site was chosen (for a major events centre),” he said. “However, we’ll go ahead with the planning for a twin-pad and prepare a couple of options to determine how it can best be done. Then we’ll be able to show council the impact when that comes back. If they want to continue with the major sports and event centre they’ll be able to see the impact to the site,” he said.
At that point, he said, council will have to decide whether to keep Morrow Park as an option for the events centre given how it may impact future phases.
“Presumably, the PMC maintains its existence during that period. As well, we have the parking for the PMC. We have parking for three pads and a pool. We have to try to maintain the interest of stakeholders like the Ag Society and existing ball diamonds. There’s a Morrow Park master plan which needs to be reviewed and considered. There are a lot of competing interests on the site.
“It appears like a large site, but once we get into the nuances of where best to place this on the property it’s going to be one of the largest pieces of infrastructure the city has at full buildout. It will be interesting to see, at full buildout, how that impacts the site.”
He expects Sierra’s next report on the events centre next year after the city finalizes a new Official Plan.
Petes president Dave Pogue also advocates for a downtown events centre, preferably at the market plaza and public works site.
“Morrow Park has the ability to become something really special: Six pads, swimming pool, courts. That should be the vision there,” said Pogue. “In order to do that there’s just no way you could fit the major sports and entertainment centre there.
“When the next report comes in the summer with the plans for the twin-pad,” said Pogue, “those councillors who are trying to hold onto the Morrow Park idea will then see it’s not going to work without shortchanging the minor sports hub vision.”
Pogue said it’s already proven that putting a major events centre at Morrow Park won’t spark economic development like a downtown location.
“The Memorial Centre was built in 1956. How much development, restaurants and sports bars, have built up around that arena since 1956? Nothing. We have one sports bar across the road and no other development around it. It’s just not the right place,” he said.
Tim Barrie, who represents Lakers lacrosse, said Morrow Park isn’t big enough to do everything the city wants to do long-term if the events centre is included and the PMC kept for another use.
“There is no parking infrastructure available like there is downtown, so you have to create your own parking which will really upset the neighbours,” said Barrie. “That’s going to really handcuff city staff and designers going forward now if they have to leave space for an events centre. It makes no sense having the two together as Kitchener found out.”
In Kitchener, he said, there is a clash between users when a big event is held at the main arena.
“If you’re dragging your kids’ hockey equipment to the arena you’re not going to get within two or three blocks of the place for your kid to play at the twinpad,” he said.
Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area chair Paul Bennett believes Morrow Park should be used as a recreational hub and the events centre go downtown to boost economic development.
“The business model that has to be put in place has to be a bigger vision which includes other types of development,” said Bennett. “That would lead to a more central location because of what that investment could do.”