THUNDER BAY -- Based on what candidates said on the campaign trail, tbnewswatch.com projects the proposed event centre is likely to move forward if it receives financial support from its provincial and federal counterparts.
While profiling each municipal candidate, tbnewswatch.com reporters asked about where they stood on a proposed new event centre for the north downtown core. Of the successful council members in Monday evening’s election, eight said they favoured building the $114 event and convention centre if contributing funds were received from the provincial and federal governments.
Mayor Keith Hobbs, councillors Trevor Giertuga,Brian McKinnon, Iain Angus; Paul Pugh, Joe Virdiramo, Aldo Ruberto and Andrew Foulds all told tbnewswatch.com they were prepared to support it so long as the provincial and federal government came to the table with matching funds.
Another two successful incumbents - councillors Rebecca Johnson and Larry Hebert - also showed some support, but did have additional concerns or conditions.
While Hebert said he supported the concept, he still believed there were unanswered questions.
For Johnson, a private sector element to accompany provincial and federal contributions was seen as a need.
Following the election results and his successful re-election bid for a third term, incumbent Aldo Ruberto, maintained his strong support for the project.
Seeing only one incumbent fall in an election that was largely framed by the event centre question is a sign the general population is giving it the green light.
“The people, young and old, are saying ‘go forward, keep moving and keep doing what you’re doing.’ To stand still is not a good thing,” Ruberto said. “I think that’s a great endorsement for us going forward.”
When contacted after all the results were available, Current River councillor-elect Andrew Foulds was encouraged by the message sent by the community in supporting so many pro-event centre candidates.
“Certainly this is a move in the right direction,” he said.
“I have always been 110 per cent behind the event centre, as long as we get provincial and federal dollars. We need to put our best foot forward to make sure we get those dollars we need to make this happen for this community.”
Two at-large councillor-elects, Larry Hebert and Frank Pullia, had not declared firm positions on either side of the issue.
Hebert has shown support in the past but said he still has questions that need to be answered. Pullia, a former at-large councillor who will return after a failed mayoral bid four years ago, told tbnewswatch.com early in the campaign he could see both the pros and cons of the project.
Meanwhile council newcomer Shelby Ch’ng, who defeated Northwood incumbent Mark Bentz, does not view it as a major issue.
“The event centre isn’t going to be a priority of mine,” she said. “It wasn’t a priority for a lot of people in Northwood.”
In her tbnewswatch.com candidate profile Ch’ng expressed concern with the recent council’s ability to manage the project, saying she
“wouldn’t trust them to manage $10 of mine.”
She acknowledged she would only be one vote at the table and that her opinion will not necessarily reflect the majority of council but hopes changes can be made to the current proposals.
“I want to see things as a business owner like expanding the community auditorium staff to run the facility rather than having an outside company come in,” she said. "I think there’s a way to be more creative with the costs for it and that’s what I’m hoping to bring to council.”
Of the 13 faces on the new council only Neebing councillor-elect Linda Rydholm had openly stated any opposition towards the project.
Mayoral candidate Ken Boshcoff, who finished second with 32.46 per cent of the vote, acknowledged the project played a significant outcome in the race.
Boshcoff, who would not commit to a firm position on the project, likely saw his vote total split with Hobbs supporting the project with third-place candidate Shane Judge earning 9,531 on a campaign based on opposition to it.
“I think tonight was largely a referendum on the event centre that people really came to vote in a plebiscite manner," Boshcoff said.
"I heard at the door people wanted to hear yes or no on this issue as opposed to waiting for the information."
Westfort councillor-elect Joe Virdiramo, who eked out a 45-vote victory over anti-event centre candidate Frank Scarcello after winning by about 1,500 four years ago, admitted his support of the project almost cost him his re-election bid.
“I know that when they did surveys in relation to the event centre, a high percentage of people in Westfort were against the event centre,” he said. “However, the vote is in, I’m glad I’m back.”
