Halton Hills Newspapers

Independent & Free Press (Georgetown, ON), 6 Jan 2011, p. 3

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Pricetag for arenas prompts council's `sober second thought' else can been talked about. I don't know with alternative arena financing scenarios. what else, short of removing something. "I have listened tonight about parks, The deferral applies to the three planned trails, bike paths and I simply say we want arenas and the relocation of the soccer field all those things to happen. We are building and tennis courts. two libraries, we have built two fire halls Fogal said the costs shocked her, and and retrofi tted a third, and an indoor socshe did not realize that many items would cer fi eld. And we sit here with one arena-- be left out of the capital budget and forethe second oldest arena in Canada-- that cast such as her favourites: cycling master we won't have tear down, it's going to fall plan projects, trails development and park down... We all knew this one was going to creation. She suggested delaying the Acton be diffi cult, we all knew the financial action twinning by three to four years. ...We were all forewarned," he said. "I'm just looking a month," said Fogal. "I He pointed out that Acton arena users didn't know until I got this (budget) packagreed to support the hourly use surcharge, age how many things would fall off the taand to amalgamate their organizations with ble-- I don't think anybody knew. But now Georgetown as long as the Acton twinning we do know ... and frankly I don't think the residents of this town have a clue what else was included. Piqued about comments of lack of budis not going to happen because get items for non-arena users in we're going to do all these arenas. the community he pointed to all I fully expect we're going to be the money being spent on the ligetting two arenas. It's not nothbraries. He called for a vote on ing... but we have to have a bala three-year deferral on costs anced approach as well." related to the library expansion Ward 3 Councillor Moya Johnproject. It lost. son agreed, saying, "We need a so"I'm a little nervous on the ber second thought on this." debt-- it's probably the most Budget committee carried on we've ever done," said Inglis. "But with approval of other items-- in the end we need to go ahead mainly public works and fire with these two arenas." BRYAN services costs-- on the $15.5 milDirector of Recreation and LEWIS lion capital budget. Parks Terry Alyman said the Voting for the arena deferral arena-building program is prewere Fogal, Mayor Rick Boncipitated by the imminent closure of the nette, and Councillors Clark Somerville, aging Memorial Arena after the 2012-2013 Joan Robson, Ann Lawlor, Jon Hurst and hockey season. If the building is kept open Moya Johnson. Voting against were Counafter that date, the Town will have to spend cillors Bryan Lewis, Michael O'Leary, Dave millions of dollars on upgrades such as the Kentner and Bob Inglis. roof. As it is, Manager of Facilities Paul The decision was made after a delegaStover said "we're living on borrowed time tion of arena ice users from Acton Minor Hockey, Georgetown Minor Hockey and with a lot of things, including the refrigeraGeorgetown Figure Skating Club plead- tion system." The plan is to build a $16.5 million twin ed their case for more arenas and left the council chambers. The groups say the 4,260 pad arena onto the Mold-Masters Sportschildren in their organizations are not get- Plex. The displacement of the lit seniors ting enough ice time now and the registra- soccer field to Trafalgar Sports Park and tion demand is growing. All three planned the four tennis courts to the Gellert Centre arenas are needed sooner, rather than later, would add $1.8 million to the cost. Those arenas would be constructed in 2012-13, they said. The deferral blindslided Lewis, chair of ready for the 2013-2014 hockey season. Construction then would begin on the twinthe Georgetown Arenas Task Force. "When does the buck stop?," he said, ning of the $10.3 million Acton Arena, ready explaining proposals for new arenas have for the 2014-2015 ice season. been going on for years. "I don't know what Total price tag: $29,137,000. Continued from pg. 1 According to the financial strategy unveiled Tuesday night the Town could pay for that by arena hourly user surcharge, development charges, sale of Town assets, developer contributions of $1,000 per unit of each new home built, a $1-2 million fundraising campaign, dedicated tax levy and property tax debt. Total debt: $25.2 million for the proposed arenas. Add onto that $6.3 million debt for the Cultural Centre & Georgetown Library expansion and $5 million of existing debt. Total potential Town debt: $36.5 million. Town Treasurer Ed DeSousa said the strategy would require taxpayers to support annual Town tax increases of between 6 and 7 per cent in the years of 2013-15. Noting that a component of the campaign requires funding, O'Leary said, "Everybody's (seniors, tennis club, ice user groups, library, hospital) talking about fundraising ... I'm just at a loss to explain where all this money is going to come from?" DeSousa agreed that if the fundraising component failed to meet its target then taxpayers would have to pick up the remainder. Deliberation on the capital budget continued last night (Wednesday) with discussion on the 2011 operating budget beginning Tuesday with a public delegation night. 3 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, January 6, 2011 Mountainview Terrace owned & operated by the Summer family Only A Few Rooms Left! 60 apartment style suites for cognitive self-sufficient seniors. · 1 & 2 bedroom apartments 465 - 715 sq. ft. · Weekly housekeeping · Organized activities Opening · Exercise room & pool 2010 · Clubs & outings 222 Mountainview Rd. N., Georgetown 905.877.1800 www.mountainviewterrace.ca Mountainview Residence - Favourite Seniors Residence - e-mail: hassellsauto@bellnet.ca www.hassellautomotive.com Warranty Warranty Warranty 2007 MAZDA 3 HATCH Loaded, Auto, 113,000 kms 2003 SEBRING 4 Cyl., Auto, Loaded, 102,000 kms $6,500 $10, 700 2006 SANTA FE V6, Auto, Loaded, 88,000 kms $11,200 CALL

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