The cost to taxpayers for the pool and fire hall would be $35 million and $15 million which would be borrowed over a period of probably 20 years. So in fact the cost including interest would be in excess of $90 million dollars. We can then add the cost of purchasing the site for the swimming pool, and demolition, etc. The next question is. Does the cost for the new fire hall include the cost of demolition, and where will it be located, and will we need to purchase land for this facility.

We also need to know what will happen to the land that the pool and fire hall presently sit on. Will this land be sold to off set some of the costs of the new facilities, or will it be used for some other City structures.

In order to make a learned decision on whether or not to support these projects in a referendum, we need all of this information.

Without it we need to vote NO.

Let’s start the demolition.

Aside from the question if a replacement pool is warranted, I wonder if a downtown location is the best choice? Seems to me from a land use perspective, the proposed site would be better suited for office space, commercial space, residential appartments or another hotel. A new pool if needed, should probably go either in the Hart, College Heights or over by the Y? I know the existing pool is close but that doesn’t mean it was in the right location either.

From the looks of it, also this will be a bigger pool, but a smaller parking lot?
I’m in agreement with a new firehall, and the location makes sense to me, but I don’t like paying for “wants” vs “needs”. My pension cheque doesn’t allow for that, thank you!

So much more information is needed about the Days Inn site. The site was for sale, supposed to become a Holiday Inn, sale fell through, Days Inn moved back in and completed renos. I can’t fathom that that City would get this site for any sort of discount…unless there are backroom deals….which there normally are.

No to the pool, no to the new firehall.

Yes to new pool & yes to new firehall. Both pools are very busy so I say yes we do need the new one downtown. It is used lots by tourists as well as the people living in the area.

Purchase the newly renovated Day’s Hotel, tear down and build a new pool all within the framework of 35 million, seriously? As mentioned above; bigger pool and smaller parking lot? Why does the Planning Department use a postage stamp for their plans? Do we have a land shortage in Prince George? Should go at the end of Domano Blvd., College Heights and perhaps incorporate a new exhibition ground and golf coarse.

Why would the City have to buy Days Inn when it is the largest property owner in the city?
Cheers

The city already owns the block across the street from the proposed site, from memory the only thing left standing is the bible store in a building the city already owns. So remind me again why the city must buy and tear down an existing business and further degrade the CBD tax base that help fill the coffers.

To make matters worse the owners will either take the money and run or build something else and have an extended tax holiday courtesy of Mr. & Mrs John Q Public.

What other options have they explored?

Building fire hall first and locating pool where fire hall stood with parking moved to old pool lot?

New pool in old pool location- managed to make it through with less ice when Kin center was rebuilt why not the same thing for pool? Could construction time line be compressed to allow this to become a viable option?

City hall seems hell bent on closing the Connaught Motor Inn and that is just a stones throw away from proposed site why not there? If they are going to demolish a hotel why not one on it’s last legs rather than one that has had a few bucks invested recently although would have to get a 3rd party to buy it as the current owners would jack the price through the roof if he knew the city wanted it:)

Might be immensely cheaper just to expand the Aquatic Center. It is afterall centrally located. But having said that, growth seems to be mainly heading west so maybe the replacement pool should be located out that way. If built out west overall cost should be much cheaper, no added demolition costs and I would think property would be cheaper.

Everyone commenting that the pool should be on the Hart or in College Heights. I have to disagree. Our students have swim lessons at four seasons every year. The year before last our staff wasn’t on the ball we ended up having to go the the aquatic centre and the busing costs doubled for us. As a rural school we don’t have enough money as it is and we lost a lot of extra programming for our kids because of it. As someone who lives east of town. I don’t agree and I am betting everyone else in the bowl and east or south of town will agree. That being said it would be silly to purchase more property downtown for it. Old fire hall location, or the actual site of the current pool. Although the poster that commented the Connaught Hotel would be choice as well.

The City seems extremely confident that the referendum will pass. Does “staff” have nothing else to do?

Maybe I have my tinfoil wrapped a little too tight today but I think I see something here.

That place where the old 4 seasons pool is now would be a perfect site for those who want to build a PAC. We know that issue is going to be around a long time and now the city can say we have the vacant land in a wonderful place to build it with plenty of parking right across the street at the old fire hall site.

My tinfoil says, remove and rebuild the pool on the same land it sits on right now.

City sure likes to locate all major public buildings on the 100-year food plain. If one really looks at downtown real estate… the new hotel next to the library is the only major investment east of Quebec Street.

The reason no private money makes major investments east of Quebec street is that the 100-year flood plain is 8-feet above street level. This is why the library is raised, the pool is built on a mound… the only other major buildings are city hall (raised ground), Plaza 400 building (govt owned, Ramada tenant), court house, wood innovation building, civic center… all government owned buildings in the 100-tear flood zone to try and intice private investments that can’t get proper flood insurance in that area and have little opportunity for underground parking with the water table just below the surface.

Ditto for the emergency response fire hall next to the YMCA… we need a city planner because that use to be the Nechako river only 200 years ago. It’s below the 100-year flood plain… can’t they find higher ground to sink PG’S hard earned tax dollars into?

Why not outsource the pool to the Y?

Why not put a new pool on the city land by the ymca, they already own the land plus close to PGSS (they might start up a swim team maybe or use it for phys ed). Then they could move the fire hall to the old pool site and use the old fire hall for city hall parking and then there would be more parking for the coliseum as well. With the new pool they should look at what grand praire has. There pool is amazing and if we had something like that Im sure there would be more people using it as well and that means more revenue