Mall location to host multiplex

After so much contentious debate, city sets sights on former Sears outlet

CAMBRIDGE — Maybe this is the happy ending to Cambridge’s long multiplex nightmare.

Up to four rinks and three gyms are to rise on and around the site of an abandoned Sears outlet at the Cambridge Centre Mall, as long as city staff can work out a partnership and lease with the mall’s Morguard Real Estate owners.

Hespeler Road is the answer all of council adores.

“This particular location is a dream location,” said Coun. Jan Liggett on Monday night as the mall site was unanimously approved and city staff were asked to pursue a memorandum of understanding with Morguard that’s due back in February. “I just love this location.” So forget about Conestoga College and the memo-of-understanding the city approved in a 6-3 vote 2 ½ ago. An all-in-one $80-million multiplex won’t be going up on leased Cambridge campus lands after all. Council voted to tear up that potential 60year deal. However, a separate city aquatics complex could still land at Conestoga.

Oddly, there were no cheers or whoops of celebration as an old memo was trashed and a new memo was sought. Only about 30 people sat quietly in a council chamber that has heard multiplex what-ifs for decades as old city ice shacks grow antiquated.

Only one citizen spoke against the location.

In April of 2016, more than 300 people crammed into the old city hall as the controversial “out in the boonies” Conestoga site drew the ire of opponents.

The sound system failed that night. This time, the speakers carried soothing news for a council and many in a city weary of nearly three years of multiplex drama and

frustration.

“To tell you the truth, this is a load off my back,” said Coun. Frank Monteiro, who chaired the design task force for the multiplex project. “This location is fantastic.”

And it only appeared as a legitimate option as fall began after the Sears outlet store closed. It gives the city a centrally located plot of land and new potential partner to ponder as it split its multiplex wishes into aquatic and non-aquatic ventures.

“This only became a location to go to after Sears closed,” Monteiro said of the mall site.

Now, a rinks-and-gyms multiplex — and maybe even a 25 or 50-metre pool, if Morguard agrees to tackle the aquatics portion of Cambridge’s recreational wish list — could land along the city’s gaudy golden mile, a transit-hub spine linking Galt, Preston and Hespeler with retail and restaurants and the promise of an LRT line, too.

“It’s the main street of Cambridge,” Coun. Mike Mann said.

So there will be more bustle added to the city’s main artery. Even that was taken as a positive on Monday as councillors lined up to praise the outcome.

“We’re not taking any farmland and destroying it,” Coun. Mike Devine said. But not everyone left happy. John Cook, vice-president of Buckingham Sports, was “a little bit angry” on behalf of the company that runs the double-rink Cambridge Sports Park on Franklin Boulevard, located fewer than two kilometres from the mall.

“How would a Ford dealership feel if the city opened up a Ford dealership right across the street from them?” Cook said after pursuit of mall location was approved.

Buckingham was one of five potential partners to submit expressions of interest to the city in November, along with Morguard, Conestoga College, Nustadia and the local Ys.

Buckingham wanted to add rinks to its complex, which stands on leased city land. But its proposal, Cook conceded, didn’t specifically say it was open to gymnasiums as well. Rinks and gyms were to be a package deal in the non-aquatic pitches.

That’s one reason city staff rated it lower than Morguard, which says it invested nearly $3 million to fix up the former Cambridge Ice Park it bought out of receivership in 2012.

“We’ve been thrown to the sidewalk,” said Cook, who entered Buckingham into the multiplex arena at least 19 months ago but has no interest in building pools.

Cook wanted to know why the contents of each expression of interest were secret. Mayor Doug Craig said the proposals are not made public, although they were shared with some members of council. They were also evaluated by city staff and Chris Smith, who chaired a multiplex site evaluation task force.

Craig said there’s a respect for each proposal and any confidentiality within them.

Cook disputed the rankings. He also wanted to know why city staff didn’t contact him with any questions about his company’s submission.

“That’s the rules,” Monteiro said. “You can’t communicate.” Craig compared the process to a tender. “Once it closes, it closes,” Craig said. “That’s it.”

Once the city can officially give an address for a rinks-and-gyms multiplex, as soon as February or March if negotiations go well, the city can then turn to the provincial and federal governments for cash. Ditto for a city pool, the location of which is still to be determined.

For now, the multiplex saga is in a happier place on Hespeler Road.

“The projects that you are really the happiest about, and the proudest, are the ones that have been the most difficult,” Craig said. “This has been a difficult journey for council, for the city.”