The financial desolation of COVID-19 is leaving a city councillor skittish of the proposed indoor turf facility.
McKellar representative Brian Hamilton will present a motion Monday night to delay the $30-million idea indefinitely, pointing out he would rather leave any sports complex up to a private group currently building a smaller scale facility off Golf Links Road.
“Even though that’s not maybe the most sterling option we’re looking at, it still would provide 60-70% of the capacity for turf sports in Thunder Bay,” says Hamilton.
Besides, he hopes deferral may allow private development to flourish. Hamilton maintains with COVID-19 and no funding commitment yet from other levels of government, he feels Thunder Bay has much already on the go. “We’re looking right now at potentially building a new police headquarters. We have our infrastructure deficit we’re looking at. There’s a bunch of giant capital projects in the immediate future that we have to be mindful of.”
The McKellar Ward councillor adds he’s been working on this idea with a few of his colleagues, while continually hearing from people.
“I’m certainly getting dozens of calls about it. People want to see we are prioritizing things in the right order. Do we want to get here one day? Yes. Do I want this for my kids and my family in the future? Yes,” says Hamilton.
He adds he has spoken with Mayor Bill Mauro, who spearheaded the proposal, but he would not say how those conversations have gone.
When it was pointed out many question spending $30-million, Hamilton acknowledged that, saying when they first looked into the details, it was the cheapest option for a facility that size with a lifespan of 70-odd years. He points out it would house many sports from baseball, to soccer, to cricket, along with change rooms and areas for spectators, whereas the private development won’t have all those features.
City council will look into putting out the tender for companies to bid on to build the indoor turf facility Monday.
