City receives arena report
Charlottetown council accepts consultant’s plan for funding, implementation
A brand new multi-use sports and entertainment complex in Charlottetown inched a tiny step forward on Friday.
The city announced council voted to adopt and endorse a consultant’s report on a funding model and an implementation plan. It essentially means the city agrees with the recommendations in the report.
But, it’s a far cry from shovels in the ground. It’s going to take a big effort and millions of dollars to make it happen. How many millions depends on numerous factors.
Most people The Guardian has talked to say it will cost at least $60 million and the price goes up from there depending on what kind of facility gets built.
There has been talk of one ice surface, two ice surfaces, a restaurant, a museum and even a hotel inside. All of this will be part of the decisionmaking process as time goes on.
And, one fact is crystal clear. It will require a major investment from all three levels of government if it’s ever going to happen.
“There is still a lot of work that has to be done and firm decisions that need to be made,’’ said Mayor Philip Brown. “Government partnerships and beyond will be paramount. We must also be strategic and consider the replacement of our aging community arenas, in conjunction with the development of a new multi-use sport and entertainment centre.’’
Brown eludes to one of the big recommendations in a report done by Sierra Planning and Management, the company hired by the city to create the plan. Simmons Sport Centre and Cody Banks Arena are at the end of their useful lifespans. In fact, some say they’re well beyond it.
The report said the first priority for the city has to be dealing with the two aging community arenas. The report recommends decommissioning Simmon and building a third ice surface at UPEI. That option would require an agreement with the university. The report also recommends turning Eastlink Centre into a community facility.
“We are at a point where to do nothing is not an option,’’ said Coun. Alanna Jankov, chairwoman of the city’s standing committee on strategic priorities and intergovernmental co-operation. “In fact, there is a cost to doing nothing. The Simmons Sports Centre is at the end of its lifecycle.’’
Jankov added that with rising construction costs as well as the cost of operating facilities, the longer the city hesitates on this the more it will cost them and the more it will lose in terms of a competitive edge when it comes to sports and entertainment events.
Parts of the report are redacted. The city isn’t talking about where a new arena would go but it’s no secret this all started with a vision towards the Eastern Gateway Master Plan.
The provincial government is in the process of vacating the public works garage that corners Pond Street and Riverside Drive. That’s one option. Another option is looking across Grafton Street. The two Maritime Electric smoke stacks at the generation plant, located adjacent Charlottetown Event Grounds, are reportedly coming down within the next two years so that will open up some space.
The consultant recommends that, whatever location is ultimately chosen, the area around the new arena complex be redeveloped to create a whole new tax base.
The public will get to have its say. There are 21 recommendations in the report and it is available on the city’s website.
There will also be opportunities for the public, venue user groups and other stakeholders to engage with the city as the process advances.
Brown said there is no timeline for all of this, saying the process of finishing Avenir Centre in Moncton took 13 years, start to finish. The Charlottetown mayor thinks a six- to eight-year plan is realistic.
“I’m pretty excited where we’re going with this and with the Simmons situation,’’ Brown said.