Cambridge Centre mall wants in on multiplex discussion

CAMBRIDGE — What if the multiplex was at the Cambridge Centre mall?

It’s a new possible location that may be considered by council after Mayor Doug Craig introduced it at a council meeting on Tuesday.

“I think it’s an idea that’s got legs,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

Craig pointed out the ready access to public transit, restaurants and shopping. The mall also already has an ice rink and hall of fame inside.

“All of these things add up to a good location,” he said.

Morguard, the management company that operates Cambridge Centre mall, has confirmed to The Record that it expressed interest in being considered as a potential site for the facility.

Craig hopes council will direct staff to look into the site as an option. That won’t happen until a meeting next month.

“I think the mall would appreciate an A1 tenant like the City of Cambridge,” he said.

The location of the city’s multimillion-dollar recreation facility has been a divisive issue for more than a year. After public outrage over the first proposed location — at Conestoga College — the city struck a task force to re-examine sites.

Now council has a list of four possible locations to choose from as well as other options such as splitting the facility, sticking with the college location or starting the entire project over.

The flea market location just a bit further down the road on Hespeler ranked highest on the task force’s list of four suitable locations for the multiplex. At public consultations earlier this year, residents said Hespeler Road was accessible and central — an ideal spot for the multiplex.

The mayor said the idea of considering the mall goes back about a year when it was suggested to him by Greg Durocher, president of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. At the time, Durocher told the mayor the Cambridge Centre could be a good spot for part of the multiplex if the Sears outlet store in

the mall closed.

It was too early to know what would happen with Sears and the multiplex task force was well underway so the idea fell to the wayside, Craig explained. “It didn’t seem appropriate to suggest it at the time.”

Now the Sears store is closed and Craig said the mall has sent the city a letter expressing interest in being added to the list of sites.

While Craig thinks it could be a good idea to house most of the facility at the mall, he thinks the city should put the aquatics facility at the first-proposed Conestoga College site just south of Highway 401.

“I want to try for a 50-metre pool, it’s what people want,” he said. “The only way we can do that is with a partnership.”

The multiplex was approved to house two ice pads with the option to expand to four in the future, a 25-metre pool, three gyms and meeting rooms.

Council is expected to meet Monday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. to discuss the location of the multiplex. Craig will introduce his motion to direct staff to examine Cambridge Centre mall as a possible option. It will need to win council approval to go forward.