Cambridge council must be leader on sports complex

There’s a time for politicians to be guided by the people and a time for the politicians to lead them.

In Cambridge — in the matter of the city’s long-desired, long-delayed sports multiplex project — now is the time for the politicians to lead.

More than four years after the city began exploring options for a grand new sports facility, a clear plan and final decision for the project seem nowhere in sight.

Over those four-plus years a promising partnership with Conestoga College on the city’s west side was briefly embraced by city council, then angrily rejected by a vocal segment of the public.

The city hit the reset button and created a new committee packed with citizens. Council brought forward several new possibilities. And it consulted, patiently, reasonably and exhaustively with people from every part of Cambridge.

So, where has that left council and city residents, especially the parents and children who want a decent, modern sports facility — or facilities — to replace the aging, crumbling arenas athletes rely on today? The kindest word we would offer is “stalled.” This week, the public learned council will receive a new report, hopefully in early 2019. That report will provide an update on the city’s negotiations with Morguard Real Estate to build several of the sports multiplex amenities at the Cambridge Centre mall.

That’s worrisome. A memorandum of understanding with Morguard was supposed to have come to council last February, then in June. It never arrived. No deal happened.

At the glacial rate this project is proceeding, the youngsters who should have grown up playing in the new multiplex will be parents with offspring of their own — and all of them still waiting for a modern sports facility.

If the politicians or Cambridge residents find this view harsh, or too pessimistic, prove us wrong.

A new council with a new mayor, Kathryn McGarry, will soon take charge.

The incoming mayor said this week she wants to “take stock” of the latest developments in the project, review the report on the Morguard negotiations, consider costs and consult — once again — with the public.

Given that in the coming weeks McGarry will undoubtedly learn more about this project from city staff, this approach seems fair. But only to a point.

There’s a job to be done. Kitchener has a fine hockey facility in its Memorial Auditorium complex. Waterloo can be proud of its massive RIM Park. Cambridge — now a bigger city than Waterloo — has nothing to compare.

The only way this will change is if the politicians finally decide to build something.

If the past four years teach any lessons, it’s that there will never be complete agreement on the part of Cambridge residents on this project.

No location will suit everyone in a city with three, distinct communities. Some people will prefer one, glittering facility to serve every need. Others would rather split the project into two, geographically separated, parts.

Meanwhile, as the community goes round and round on a never-ending public consultation carousel, land and construction costs are only rising.

So, to the incoming council, we would say that while it’s important to move ahead with community support, it’s even more important to get the job done.

Take a deep breath. Then lead. It’s what you were elected for. Make 2019 the year of decision.

As for the people of Cambridge, the lyrics of an old Rolling Stones song come to mind.

“You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometime, you might find you get what you need.”