EDITORIAL: City had to do Phase 4

After years of waiting, the fate of the city’s proposed $114-million event centre is now in the hands of the federal and provincial governments.

On Monday council voted 11 to 1 in favour of advancing the controversial project to the fourth phase, which essentially will ask upper levels of government to come to the table with $72 million.

That leaves city taxpayers on the hook for about $42 million, about $28 million of which the city says it has stashed away.

The other $14 million and change would likely be drawn from a debenture.

While vocal critics of the project want it stopped at all costs, council made the right move on Monday. It makes no sense to spend millions of dollars to get this far, only to drop the ball on the final play of the game.

Phase 4 does come with its own costs – it will undoubtedly require lobbying to convince the powers that be that it will benefit the city and surrounding region.

But the money going forward, until the project is either approved or shelved, is a pittance compared to what’s already been spent.

City council should know by next March how much, if anything, the provincial and federal governments are willing to chip in. Residents deserve to know that much, at least.