THUNDER BAY -- Keith Hobbs stands alone when it comes to a proposed $109-million event centre for Thunder Bay.
Of the six mayoral candidates seeking the city’s top elected position, Hobbs is the lone hopeful willing to completely back the controversial project as it stands.
Hobbs, who fought putting the question to proceed or not on the Oct. 27 ballot, says now is as good a time as any to proceed.
“I think it’s going to be a great economic driver for the downtown core of the city,” Hobbs said Monday.
The mayor, seeking a second term in office, said he’s not surprised he’s the only candidate that fully supports the project.
Nor is he concerned there is a vocal opposition that would like to see it either shut down for good or put on the backburner while crime and infrastructure problems still exist.
“Every big project we’ve done basically always had resistance,” Hobbs said, pointing to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Canada Games Complex and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
As for the cost, Hobbs said he thinks the city can’t afford not to do it at this time, adding the city’s share of the cost will likely be $36 million, $25 million of which is already in the bank.
“So we’re not looking at a huge debenture,” he said.
In 10 years it’ll only cost that much more to build, Hobbs added.
Former two-time mayor Ken Boshcoff does believe the city needs a new facility.
However, until he gets all the answers, he’s not willing to commit one way or the other.
“It’s a fair question,” he said, asked for a yes or no answer. “But until anyone has all the answers then I don’t think we’re being very wise in committing to something until they can say it’s going to cost this and it’s going have an impact (or not) on the Auditorium or it’s not going to have an impact on other projects or the long-range operating costs are going to be handled in this way.”
He’s hoping several of those answers come on Monday night, when Phase 3 of the project proposal is officially presented to council as a first report.
It’s just not the right time, countered reporter-turned-candidate Shane Judge.
Given population decline projections by the Ministry of Finance that suggest the city will drop another 7,000 people by 2032, combined with the loss of grain elevators and sawmills and the recent multi-million expenditure on the waterfront, the city needs to step back and see how the economy pans out before committing to another huge project, Judge said.
“I’m just worried sick that we’re going to get ourselves into a $100-million expenditure and a built-in one to one-and-half per cent budget increase,” he said.
“I just think it’s premature to do that,” he added, noting if elected he’d shelve the project for at least a decade, until the city and its economy grows by at least 25 per cent.
“Even when those targets are met, I believe there should be a final plebiscite before a shovel hits the dirt.”
That’s exactly what Henry Wojak proposed last February.
While he hasn’t always been opposed to an event centre, the long-time city hall watchdog says further investigation shows the city’s debt is not dropping as some on council claim. Expected to hit $184 million by year’s end, the proposed
5,600-seat facility too costly to consider right now, Wojak said.
“I don’t think financially we’re in the position and that’s why I asked for a plebiscite,” he said.
Wojak added he thinks Fort William Gardens is structurally sound and can survive several more years, though it might not meet the needs of a proposed American Hockey League team.
He’s not sure the city could support one, judging by falling attendance figures at both the university and Junior A levels.
“Hockey is maybe a dying sport in this city,” Wojak said.
Second-time mayoral candidate Colin Burridge, who also ran in 2010, says he’s not opposed to the project, but believes the public should have a chance to vote on it.
“It should be a plebiscite. We’re asking taxpayers to spend millions. They should have a say,” he said.
Burridge is also opposed to the north core location favoured by consultants assisting the city through the project, though doesn’t think Innova Park is ideal either because of its swampy topography.
Doug Mackay would also like to see the issue put before the public in the form of a plebiscite and is doubtful the city can afford the project or will support an AHL team.
"I think anybody who voted against a plebiscite should no longer be on council," Mackay said.
