The multi-use indoor turf facility is causing the phones of Thunder Bay city councillors to ring constantly, it just depends on who you talk to as what those conversations are.
The majority of calls to Westfort’s councillor have been to thank her for choosing to get construction started, and not wait any longer.
However, after her vote last Monday, Kristen Oliver admits she did hear from those expressing concern and disappointment, but it’s substantially less than those thanking her. “With the people that are reaching out to express their concern with the project, we have some opportunity to really discuss what it is going to mean, when it’s going to be applied to the tax bill, just having that opportunity to supply some really good information.”
Opposition to moving forward is something she expects, considering that happens, she says, to any new infrastructure, such as the waterfront development, the Auditorium or the Canada Games Complex.
“Any major infrastructure project where people don’t see it resonating as valuable to them, they have their concerns with it, and they tend to be a loud bunch, and they do rightly so express their concerns with it,” says the Westfort councillor.
As for how the facility could be run, she is happy to discuss details, of which she has a few.
“Facility fee to every registration, whether it’s a $5 fee, or a $10 fee, so that we’re starting to build a reserve fund now for the future maintenance of that building, so that it’s coming off user pay, and not going onto the tax base,” says Oliver.
The Westfort councillor finishes by saying social media has changed the dynamics of the conversation for the worse. She and others avoid it, considering how easily people are attacked for their opinion.
By contrast, an At-large councillor tells us the majority of people are thanking her for trying to delay it.
Rebecca Johnson says most people are uneasy about council’s narrow decision, while at the same time respecting democracy at work. “It’s been a huge response. And then from that it started to peter off, but it’s still coming through. I have not spent as much time on the phone over any other issue that I can recall.”
The city councillor adds in 20 years as an elected official, this ranks as one of the biggest issues.
“It’s very significant. And now people can email, as well as telephone, but I have literally spent three to four days on the phone,” says Johnson.
She adds many people have asked her for the list of councillors who voted to get construction started, which she offered. Johnson says people are just upset council didn’t wait a bit longer, such as accept the 90 day extension voted against last Monday night.
“Or at least wait until we had more information, that’s what we were really trying to find out. We were making a decision without all the information, and that is what people are saying to me,” says the At-large councillor.
