Goodbye 2018, we hardly knew you. Actually, we knew you pretty well and we’re kind of sick of you, so if you wouldn’t mind, fade into the rearview mirror for us, would you?
What a year that was: two elections (and one election spread over two days), the fight over the Kingsway Entertainment District, the fight over expanded casino gambling … 2018 was an eventful and an exhausting year in many ways.
But, it’s the holiday season and we’re kind of in the grey area between one year and the next, a place where anything can happen. A twilight zone, if you will.
So, rather than dwelling in the past, let’s look into the future and see what 2019 may have in store for us.
The KED appeal
Sometime in the new year, the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal will rule on the various appeals launched to try to stop the Kingsway Entertainment District project. But, before the LPAT can rule on the KED, various procedural items have to be settled by the courts. Gateway Casinos, which is supposed to be building the casino element of the KED, doesn’t expect a ruling before September.
The Junction
City council’s idea to replace Sudbury Arena with a combination convention centre, art gallery and public library … will it actually materialize? Another $100-million project on top of the $100-million project on the Kingsway seems excessive. More convention space on top of what we have and what we’re building, seems extravagant. The Junction seems ripe of scaling back.
Place des Arts
Construction on the downtown Place des Arts is expected to last until 2020. The city is spending $5 million to help fund construction, as well as providing $200,000 a year in operating funds. Not everyone is in favour of the project, but I think it provides an important touchstone for Northern Ontario’s Franco-Ontarian community, one of the largest, most vibrant and distinct cultural communities outside of Quebec.
Renée Sweeney murder trial
After 20 years, there will finally be a murder trial in the bloody slaying of 23-year-old Laurentian University student Renée Sweeney. Police say they can tie Robert Steven Wright, 39, forensically to the crime. The charges against him have not been tested in a court of law yet, but the trial will be followed closely by many, many Sudburians.
Hello, Doug, goodbye funding?
The self-styled people’s premier, Doug Ford, says the spend-happy Liberals left Ontario taxpayers with a $15-billion deficit so a machete will be used to hack away at government-funded programs. Municipalities are bracing for a decrease in the amount of block funding they receive. We’ll see what this means for the Nickel City.
The return of Rick
Mayor Brian Bigger has tapped former Liberal cabinet minister Rick Bartolucci to liaise between city hall and the business community, something we already employ staff to do. What message is the mayor sending to those staff by bringing in a volunteer to jobs they’re paid for? Bigger heavily criticized staff during the municipal election night by casting aspersions on them after the voting system collapse and now he’s doing something similar by bringing in Bartolucci. This should be interesting.
Council unity
Can Mayor Brian Bigger maintain the same level of unity among city councillors this term? Certainly Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini, who certainly goes his own way, will continue to do so, as will Ward 3’s Gerry Montpellier. But with an additional opponent to the KED now on council in the form of Ward 4 Coun. Geoff McCausland, Bigger will have his work cut out for him.
More election fun
We have a federal election on Oct. 21, 2019, unless someone with the initials J.T. decides to call it earlier. I would be surprised if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals can’t hold onto the reins of power, though he’ll probably lose a few seats. He hasn’t angered enough people to sink the Grits yet, and neither Tory Leader Andrew Scheer nor NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, to my mind, have the ability bring down the Hair.
Cannabis to go
Whether Greater Sudbury gets a cannabis retail store when the retail market opens in April 2019 remains to be seen. Due to the supply issues, Ontario announced it would slow the rollout of retail shops, limiting them to 25 for now and selecting who will get a licence by lottery on Jan. 11, 2019.
Wolves cup run
The Sudbury Wolves (as of this writing) are third in the Eastern Conference and sitting fifth overall in the OHL. They went on an eight-game winning streak in the past few weeks, and are on the verge of setting a new franchise record for home-ice winning streak, which they’ve tied at 12. A Memorial Cup run would be the icing on the cake, but a deep playoff run would almost be just as good.
Mark Gentili is the editor of Northern Life and Sudbury.com.
