Neebing's Rydholm opposes gas-tax money being used on event centre

Linda Rydholm says if city officials still insist on building an event centre, they should axe the accompanying convention centre.

The Neebing councillor said her proposal would effectively cut costs considerably and free up much-needed money the city could use to fix roads and other crumbling infrastructure.

Rydholm on Friday said she’s tired of telling her constituents there’s no money left in the coffers to repair their culverts, yet there seems to be a willingness to take $23-million out of the federal gas-tax allocation over 10 years to cover Ottawa’s portion of the event centre.

It’s better spent elsewhere, she added.

“If we take the federal gas-tax money and put it toward an event centre, if we take the $23 million we’ve got in savings, if we borrow another $17 million or so, if Thunder Bay Hydro, through our hydro bills puts a few million dollars into moving a hydro station … then there won’t be that $46 million, $47 million to do other things in our city,” Rydholm said.

The council veteran takes particular issue with the gas-tax plan.

The event centre was sold to the public and to those around the council table on the basis that it would be new federal money.

The plan as it stands, unveiled earlier this week by city manager Tim Commisso and Mayor Keith Hobbs is essentially a shell game, shifting existing money from one pile to another, Rydholm suggested.

“We’re still not getting federal funding,” she said, “so why are we still sticking with it?”

Rydholm does believe a replacement for Fort William Gardens is needed, but is concerned a convention centre addition would compete with existing private facilities.

She also worries that it just won’t draw the kind of traffic city officials are hoping for, adding there’s already not enough flights into and out of the city to handle the increased traffic if the plan did come to fruition.

She mentioned the difficulty finding enough flights last year when more than 120 delegates to the Federation of Canadian Muncipalties descended on Thunder Bay for meetings.

Rydholm’s concerns appeared to be echoed by many in the community on Friday.

Larissa Satten, her two young children in tow, is adamantly against the plan to use gas-tax money for anything other than its intended purpose.

“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous thing to be doing. Everyone sees the condition of our roads. It’s pretty clear we can’t afford the event centre. I don’t think Thunder Bay is large enough to warrant something that size,” she said after a shopping trip to West Arthur Place.

“It feels like you’re trying to build a mansion on a bungalow budget.”

Satten said she could get behind the project if the costs were lowered.

“But our taxes keep rising and it just feels like everything else is crumbling beneath us. So I don’t see why you’re getting a new TV if you need a new roof.”

James Yanke said he’s a definite no.

“I think they’re totally wrong in doing an event centre. I think this city should be looking at the people first.”

Another shopper, who didn’t want to give her name, said the project is nothing more than legacy building by the mayor.

Council on Monday is expected to vote whether or not to proceed to Phase 5 of the project and the start of construction, pending funding approval from the federal and provincial governments.