Ice Rink Users Want Say in Kin Centres Plan for Winter Games

Monday, February 21, 2011 08:10 PM

Prince George, B.C. – When it comes to infrastructure for the 2015 Canada Winter Games the Prince George Minor Hockey Association, and the Prince George Rec Hockey League are hoping the Games Society will take a very close look at another option for the Kin Centres.

Council has approved having a cost comparison done on the difference between demolition and construction of a new ice surface as opposed to upgrades to Kin 1 and 2 plus a new facility being built.

Time is of the essence. The City is of the understanding that it needs to have its design ready and out for tender within a couple of months. That leaves little to no time for the consultation the ice users would like to see happen. There is also the possibility the Canada Games may reject any changes to the proposal that was put forth to land the 2015 Games. The demolition of Kin 1 is supposed to take place in 2012.

The current plan is to demolish Kin 1 and replace it with a new facility. The two hockey associations are calling on the City to rethink that plan. They would like to see a new facility built at the north end of the Kin arenas and upgrades made to Kin 1 and 2. They believe there are several benefits to this plan, including no loss of ice availability while a new facility is being built, increased control on costs, opportunity for improved parking and road access and a completed project that is more in line with the Exhibition Park Master Plan.

The presentation to Council also asks that affected ice arena user groups be given an opportunity to provide some input on the options under consideration. That request may have come too late as there is pressure to get the designs out for tender sooner rather than later. The ice arena users fear there may be a loss of ice use for up to two years. "That will prevent the ice users from any expansion" says Al Hines.

The Kin 1 demolition and replacement is the single largest ticket capital item for the Canada Winter Games. City Manager Derek Bates says the newly formed Host Society may be able to pick up the responsibility of reviewing the best way to achieve the capital goals for the Games. The agreement between the City and the Host Society has yet to be finalized, but a cost comparison review may form part of that agreement. Bates reminds Council that any changes to the bid as submitted would have to be approved by the Host Society and the Canada Games Council.

While Councillor Cameron Stolz believes there is time for some "sober second thought" Councillor Don Basserman says he was part of the bid committe and he says there was plenty of sober thought that went into the development of the bid. "There is a changing demographic hapening and it upon us to look way out to 20 or 30 years down the road to make sure the infrastructure can be sustained." Bassermann says its not the 2015 Games they are tergetting "It's the test events we have to host before the games that we have to be ready for" and that is why he is very concerned about revising any time table.

Mayor Dan Rogers says he has said from the outset, that the biggest challenge for the development of the Games is "Managing expectations." As for the request that there be user group consultation, the Mayor says there doesn't need to be any such motion as consultation is a "given" says the Mayor, "That is just the way we do business."

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Posted on Monday, February 21, 2011 08:10 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: bohemian on February 21 2011 11:38 PM

Amazing. When looking at the feasibility of a PAC, the proponents need to consult all the current and possible user groups in advance, do usage analysis and inventories of the current infrastructure, cost everything to the last penny, find the funding partners in advance, have a detailed capital and operational business plan and THEN win a referendum.

Or if you're sports you need none of those. Without it being an election issue, without a referendum, without a conceptual, capital or operational plan we're going to invest millions in a rink or rink improvements.

No wonder sports always beats arts in Prince George. The bar is so, So, SO much lower.

Posted by: lunarguy on February 22 2011 10:37 AM

So true bohemian. I am still on the fence over the PAC, but there are sure lots of roadblocks being thrown up by people. A line they always say about the PAC, needs to be applied to the KIN's "make sure it pays for itself. Raise the user fees until there is no tax dollars used to support it".

Posted by: bohemian on February 22 2011 12:34 PM

Hopefully this turns into a story, with the emphasis on how the electorate has had no input into 1) the decision to spend millions of dollars on infrastructure and 2) what kind of infrastructure they want to build and pay for.

Also, why are the rules for investing in culture so strict, yet investment in sports infrastructure requires no planning, no consultation and no approval of the electorate. How does PG find itself here, making a HUGE investment at the whim of a Mayor (with a sports political base no less) through a simple executive order. WTF.

Posted by: realitycheck on February 22 2011 1:56 PM

You're out to lunch.
The capital investment is made based on the standards set by the Canada Games to host the games. There is no "conspiracy" here.
You win the bid you have to have facilities that meet these standards. Kin 1 does not meet the standards and needs to be renovated. Throw in that it's in horrific shape and needs millions of dollars of investment redardless and it makes sense.
I have no issues with a Kin 4 but remember that Kin 1 will still require millions in renovations and operating another arena increases operating costs dramatically.
Building a Kin 4 will mean a HUGE increase in the proposed capital budget, and a huge jump in the operating budget for that division.
If you want to eat your cake be prepared for even steeper tax increases.

Posted by: realitycheck on February 22 2011 5:55 PM

Posted by: bohemian on February 22 2011 8:54 PM

@realitycheck - yes, you are right re: standards. But who decided to bid for the games and commit to meeting those standards? It was known that millions would need to be invested to host, and that was an executive decision, made without the input of the electorate, and clearly without any input from user groups (hence this new wrinkle).

I'm just pointing out the different rules in place for different initiatives. Clearly (and magically!) it's MUCH easier to afford sports and recreation infrastructure than it is to afford arts and cultural infrastructure. And somehow we can rush in to purchase sports infrastructure with little (seriously Basserman?) "sober thought" as compared to the detailed plans, analysis, consultation and funding avenues asked of, no, DEMANDED of the PG Regional Performing Arts Centre Society.

No, Prince George rushed to win the games, and exploring, FULLY, the costs and pros/cons of various investment options was the last thing on the proponent's minds. Actually, no. The LAST thing on their minds was winning the support of the electorate, the ones footing the bill, because they never would have.

Give the PGRPACS credit for having the integrity and courage to be fully transparent in their approach.

And shame on the Mayor and a few insiders for their opportunistic, shoot from the hip, roll the bones approach.

Frankly, Prince George deserves better.