Expressing disappointment, the co-chair of Friends of Big Thunder says he doesn’t understand why the province has unilaterally rejected his group’s bid to re-open the shuttered sports facility.
Paul DeGiacomo on Wednesday said he learned on July 9 that the Ministry of Tourism had rejected all six proposals – from six different groups – it had received by the March 31 deadline and instead will retain ownership of the property and do nothing for now.
DeGiacomo said the province, in a letter to Friends of Big Thunder, said their proposal did not meet the criteria set out in the original request for expression of interest, which included access to capital, providing a sustainable operation and environmental considerations.
They were also told that a lack of support from stakeholders didn’t help their case.
DeGiacomo debated the validity of that claim.
"Our stakeholders were pretty strong and were local as well as provincial, federal and international," DeGiacomo said. "I don’t know what they are basing their information on. We thought we exceeded the requirements for the criteria for the expression of interest."
Stakeholders included the City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission, Fort William First Nation, Ontario Realty Corporation on behalf of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry.
DeGiacomo said three of the five stakeholders wrote letters supporting the proposal. He added he would like to know which stakeholders did not show strong support.
Despite the setback DeGiacomo said Friends of Big Thunder won’t give up and will continue to lobby to have the park, closed in 1996, brought back to life as a 12-month recreational facility.
"We’re going to continue to gather support for it to be reopened," he said. "(But) it sounds like the province is not prepared to open the site as we’ve proposed."
MPP Bill Mauro (Lib., Thunder Bay – Atikokan) responded Wednesday, saying he has another plan to re-open the sports park, but said he couldn’t disclose any of the details of his plan, echoing a message he first delivered to tbnewswatch.com in June.
"I do have another plan, but I’m hoping that will ultimately lead to public access," Mauro said. "I’m going to keep that quiet for now, but I’ve been working on it for a while now in the background as this one was moving forward. I’m hopeful."
Mauro said the method for reopening Big Thunder has changed and added future plans for the site could involve anything from new proposals from the six rejected groups to government involvement to newly found private investment.
The Ministry of Tourism was contacted for this story, but officials could not provide immediate comment.
Paul DeGiacomo on Wednesday said he learned on July 9 that the Ministry of Tourism had rejected all six proposals – from six different groups – it had received by the March 31 deadline and instead will retain ownership of the property and do nothing for now.
DeGiacomo said the province, in a letter to Friends of Big Thunder, said their proposal did not meet the criteria set out in the original request for expression of interest, which included access to capital, providing a sustainable operation and environmental considerations.
They were also told that a lack of support from stakeholders didn’t help their case.
DeGiacomo debated the validity of that claim.
"Our stakeholders were pretty strong and were local as well as provincial, federal and international," DeGiacomo said. "I don’t know what they are basing their information on. We thought we exceeded the requirements for the criteria for the expression of interest."
Stakeholders included the City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission, Fort William First Nation, Ontario Realty Corporation on behalf of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry.
DeGiacomo said three of the five stakeholders wrote letters supporting the proposal. He added he would like to know which stakeholders did not show strong support.
Despite the setback DeGiacomo said Friends of Big Thunder won’t give up and will continue to lobby to have the park, closed in 1996, brought back to life as a 12-month recreational facility.
"We’re going to continue to gather support for it to be reopened," he said. "(But) it sounds like the province is not prepared to open the site as we’ve proposed."
MPP Bill Mauro (Lib., Thunder Bay – Atikokan) responded Wednesday, saying he has another plan to re-open the sports park, but said he couldn’t disclose any of the details of his plan, echoing a message he first delivered to tbnewswatch.com in June.
"I do have another plan, but I’m hoping that will ultimately lead to public access," Mauro said. "I’m going to keep that quiet for now, but I’ve been working on it for a while now in the background as this one was moving forward. I’m hopeful."
Mauro said the method for reopening Big Thunder has changed and added future plans for the site could involve anything from new proposals from the six rejected groups to government involvement to newly found private investment.
The Ministry of Tourism was contacted for this story, but officials could not provide immediate comment.
