LETTER: No vision at City Hall

To the editor: 

Concerning the event centre, I would like someone at City Hall to tell me how they got to $114 million for the final cost.
How did this administration give PCL construction the rights to build this arena through Thunder Bay Live?

The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club is in partnership with PCL?

I would hope that our administration is smart enough to do their homework on this company, but it sounds like they have not.

PCL Contractors built the Vancouver Convention Center at a cost of $495 Million the final figure for the VCC was $883 million.
Just look at the Thunder?Bay Regional Health?Sciences Centre and the final cost of this facility.

I believe our taxes went up $50 and they said when the hospital was paid off that would come off our tax bill.

It never happened, you are still paying that $50.

I think about the first phase of the waterfront being $8.6 million over budget. I am in favour of a new event centre, but not if we are paying for it into the 2020s.

The taxpayers need to be ensured of the cost for this facility. There’s a lack of vision on Donald Street.



Patrick MacDonald,
Thunder Bay