The city has taken the next step towards building a new aquatics and recreation complex, after a vote at city council this week. However, there is still plenty of mixed opinions from members of council concerning the scope, and the public's opinion of the project.
Out of the detailed design options provided by consultant Jon Hack of Sierra Planning, council voted to move ahead with option C, costing a projected $48 million and change.
| OPTION | KEY COMPONENTS | TOTAL COST ESTIMATE |
| A |
Large Atrium with food kiosks 8-lane 25 metre pool Leisure pool Therapy/warm pool Multi-purpose room |
$34,945,230 |
| B |
8-lane 25 metre pool Leisure pool Regulation diving pool Therapy/warm pool Field house with multi-use courts (racquetball/squash)
|
$53,976,879 |
| C |
8-lane 25 metre pool Leisure pool Therapy/warm pool Field house with multi-use courts |
$48,474,120 |
There was also an 'option D' which would build the facility in multiple stages, which wasn't recommended by anyone.
Councillor Rick Dubeau had been suggesting that the city investigate the possibility of renovating the existing pool facility at the Archie Dillon Sportsplex.
"Our consultants are certainly not recommending it, based on their past experiences, and those reasons are outlined in the report," explained Director of Community and Development Services Mark Jensen.
The reasons listed in the report were:
- Existing facility is unable to accommodate desired uses
- Existing pool systems are inadequate
- Current facility and pool systems are outdated
- Expansion is not cost effective
- New construction offers better value for money
The entire project, according to Mayor Steve Black, is still contingent on the city receiving big financial support from upper levels of government.
Councillor Joe Campbell emplored to his peers that they ask themselves 'if we can afford this going forward'.
"I'm not sure what I'm seeing that other councillors around the table aren't seeing, some serious issues coming up. I'll mention one, the Kidd closure in two or three years down the road. I don't want to preach 'doom and gloom', and I'm hoping that something comes up to fill that void, but in the meantime we're going to lose $50 million of goods and services bought in this community, which is going to affect other businesses. We're going to lose $105 million in payroll in that operation. We're going to lose roughly $2 million in general tax revenue, I could go on and on," said Campbell.
He added that assuming $3 million dollars can be raised within the community, it will leave the city 'roughly $45 million to debenture'.
"$45 million debentured today, will work out to an additional $29 million dollars in interest, for a total cost of approximately $74 million dollars. I'm going to tell you honestly right now, I don't feel that this community now or going forward, will be able to afford those kind of dollars without severe implications of having to raise taxes to our residents," said Campbell.
Additionally he said that if the project goes through as it stands, city councils until 2048 will be saddled with severe debt.
"I'm all for improving facilities, but you have to live within your means."
Councillor Veronica Farrell said that the detailed designs were needed in order to apply for grants.
"If for some reason we don't get the grants, we don't get the pool. So this is a chance that we almost have to take, to see if we can get that money to build this pool."
She said people in Timmins are 'always complaining they have nothing to do'.
"If we want to keep our people in Timmins, we have to give them something to do," she said, noting the possible addition of squash and racquetball courts to the complex would be overwhelmingly popular.
"People that I have spoken to, say ten people, out of those ten people, nine people are for this pool, something for them to do, young and old. The tenth person says 'no, I don't think its a good idea', I'll talk to that person. At the end of the evening, he understands why I think we should go forward with this. Nothing to do here, but with this, we will have something to do here," said Farrell.
Councillor Pat Bamford urged his peers to vote for 'option C' of the aquatic centre detailed design options. Andrew Autio for TimminsToday Councillor Mike Doody said he 'appreciates the comments for and against' the proposal.
"It's very easy to be negative. Very easy," he said, adding that all council was doing was coming up with a concept.
"As it has been stated by the Mayor, and received by this council, that if we don't get support funding, from Northern Ontario, from the provincial government, and the federal government, then its going to be very difficult to go ahead."
The veteran Councillor and former Mayor added that people in large urban centres take facilities such as swimming pools for granted, and regaled the room with tales of difficulties getting the current Sportsplex built.
"I'm not going to be negative. If I'd be negative, we wouldn't have the pool that we have now," he said.
He also scolded Dubeau and Campbell for their remarks implying a lack of public support for a new pool.
"It's wrong to put out there, that there is no support for this. Shake your head if you want (glancing towards Dubeau) but you know what? People who are positive about their community, positive about young people, to give them something to do that they want in our community, that's not being negative. At least some people take a step forward and try to make their community a better place to live in," said Doody.
Campbell later replied to Farrell.
"I've never debated what's in the thing, I've debated affordability, and I don't for a minute believe that's being 'negative', I think it's being realistic," he said.
As well as Doody.
"If you go with this concept right now, and you spend five or six hundred thousand dollars doing a design, and you decide you're not going to go with it for financial reasons, then you're back to square one, having to re-design a portion of the project. I'm sorry you think it's negative. When I ran for council, I said I was going to be here for the taxpayers," said Campbell, who didn't want 'to make a big speech'.
"There's a huge difference between being negative, and being realistic with taxpayers dollars," said Campbell, which elicited a strong, but brief, round of applause from one member of the audience.
Dubeau also suggested that for sports such as racquetball, squash, indoor tennis, and pickleball, that some of the unused gymnasiums in closed or closing local schools could be renovated for that use.
Mayor Steve Black said no matter what the item being discussed is, there will always be citizens strongly 'for', and strongly 'against', and their opinions are generally rooted solely in how they are personally impacted.
"Its our job to do what's best for the community as a whole. You can't make decisions on little pockets of people who don't use the facilities, and are generally against putting in capital dollars for that. Its our job to build the city of Timmins going forward. Its our job to make it an attractive place for businesses to come and want to invest in our community. I've said it many times before, if you're afraid to invest in your own community, how can you convince others that its a good place to invest?" said Black.
Voting in favor were Councillors Bamford, Doody, Farrell, Andrew Marks, Walter Wawrzaszek, and Black. Opposed were Dubeau and Campbell.
Option C will now be included in the RFP (request for proposal) for the project.
