EDITORIAL: Scrap Gardens and save

City hall can’t have its arena cake and eat it too.

A consultant’s report last week suggested taxpayers should consider a $10-million hit to repurpose Fort William Gardens should a new $100-million event and convention centre get the green light.

For months consultant Conrad Boychuk has been trying to sell city officials on the idea of converting the aging Gardens into a community-style centre, capable of hosting weekly markets and larger non-hockey type events like the annual indoor Remembrance Day ceremony.
Now city councillors finally have a price tag on the proposal.

That doesn’t include a new twin-sheet ice pad idea Boychuk was trying to push at an open house on the future of the Gardens earlier this year.

With many residents already balking at the idea of new event centre, crying foul on expected tax increases to cover the construction costs and annual operating deficit estimated to start at $1.2 million, council has to take the path of least resistance if it wants to go ahead with a new centre.

Demolishing the Gardens would cost $3 million, and selling the property would only net city coffers about $300,000, Boychuk said.

But the Gardens also loses $500,000 or so a year. Scrapping it would ultimately save taxpayers in the long run.