Feasibility Plan Back to Staff for More Info
Monday, January 9, 2012 @ 8:41 PM
Prince George, B.C.- The lands which are currently home to the Prince George Tennis Club, are about to be sold and rezoned for regional commercial.
When the City developed a new neighbourhood plan for the Prince George Golf and Curling Club lands, it set aside property for the relocation of the tennis courts. The Club would now like to see if there is a possibility the existing curling Club building could become a shared use facility for tennis and curling.
Council for the City has delayed making a decision on having a feasibility plan developed that would examine that possibility.
Instead, Council has asked staff to come back with an idea on how much it would cost to do a feasibility study.
The plan could be done in three phases:
PHASE 1: Membership Support
PGTC and PGGCC would require membership support for all the next steps and conditions required to facilitate the planning process
PHASE 2 Ownership and Operating Business Plan
The business plan would identify a model which could see the City of Prince George own the land and the building, providing a ‘home’ for the PGTC and preserving curling services for Prince George
The business plan would identify expenses, revenues and sources of funds required to cover all the costs of operation, including capital improvements and depreciation of assets; and include a risk assessment.
The business plan would identify options to include other community groups and community businesses.
PHASE 3 Presentation to Council
Staff would return a business plan and staff report to Council with recommendations.
Staff advised Council the capital investment needed to upgrade the existing PGGCC Clubhouse would be much less than the costs for new facilities for tennis and curling.
Comments
Boy, this discussion looked like pulling teeth to me.
I must say, the Mayor seemed to understand the process and puropose of it while too many Councillors seemed to not understand it. Some, who should have known better in my opinion, were already prejudging the outcome of what should be a best bang for the dollar option exploration for getting it right as far as moving the tennis courts. This will be the second time the courts will have to move at the City expense since they are the cause. The first time was when they moved from the Aquatic Centre/soccer fields area.
In fact, one suggestion would be to cut the purse strings for good, give them some land with a 99 year lease for a dollar, build the courts to the standard they currently have, shake hands and part ways.
We have tennis courts all over this city from bygone days when the planner of the day was a tennis player and he sold the concept of courts, primarily adjacent to schools or part of the schools, to the City since they could be flooded in the winter for skating rinks.
Great idea on paper. But in practice very little of that actually took place. I doubt that there is much use of those facilities these days.
I also remember years ago some of the tennis players would be coaches and go to courts at the schools for a fee to give lessons.
Selected interest groups – start looking at ways of fund raising.
There still are many courts around the schools. They were being used in the winter for skating etc but not enough volunteers anymore. People are working harder to make a pay cheque to pay taxes – LOL.
Not only has “tennis club” had to move, so have the demographics of our community. Is there a real need to continue to support sports? But at what price…
We once paid out $100,000 to help PAGARA(I believe it was forgiven, but may be wrong)…and it was a club as well.
Interestingly all three users who are looking for city “help” are “clubs”..Why don`t we put them all in one building in one space? Where might that be, I wonder?
Well I will be damned….check this out…in Prince George until the 11th.
British Columbia Golf, Curl BC and Tennis BC Launch SOAR
http://www.britishcolumbiagolf.org/2011/12/british-columbia-golf-curl-bc-and-tennis-bc-launch-soar/
three Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOâs) working together to deliver sports programming!!! Why not pool their resources in our community in one building…!!!!!! Save money, time, operating costs, capital costs and god forbid TAX PAYERS MONEY!!
Runner 46
PGARA’s loan was interest free and the total amount of the loan was paid back to the city. No freebies for the auto racers.
Interesting though when PGARA had to move from the old site where the Super Store sits there was no gift of land for the future home. Colin worked hard to obtain the land where PGARA now sits. Orginally it was a lease but several years ago the land was purchased by the club.
After the manipulation of use of the land that PGGCC is now on by the city who would trust the city with any land use items…
Comments for this article are closed.