Let me first acknowledge that this is not a debate that I
claim to enter completely unbiased. Frankly, it would be next
to impossible to cover local sports for a living, professing a
self-admitted passion for the Sudbury amateur sports scene, and
not recognize a slightly skewered viewpoint when discussing the
proposed construction of the multi-use recreational complex.
At the very base of this debate has been the question about
whether or not a new sports complex is absolutely necessary.
The naysayers will suggest there is no good reason to undertake
the expenditure involved, citing the project as a luxury of
sorts.
Unfortunately, using "absolute necessity" as the litmus test
for any municipal spending would mean that, by my guess, as
much as 50 per cent or more of the Greater Sudbury budget could
be saved. As an extreme example, I suppose I could argue that
municipal libraries are not "absolute necessities."
The absence of libraries would not put lives at risk, would not
necessarily affect the physical health of area residents and
would probably not cause anyone to move from Sudbury to a more
amenable municipality.
In fact, libraries, the extent of police-related spending, the
green areas set aside for the enjoyment of the public, the
level of staffing allocated to municipal services, the monies
spent on road repairs and yes, the facilities that fall under
leisure services, can all be grouped together with a whole slew
of other budget-lined items. All of which gather to create a
standard of living that helps to make the City of Greater
Sudbury a destination of choice for couples wishing to settle
and raise their families.
The mandate of local politicians as guardians of public coffers
is, in many ways, the wise usage of funds to help ensure
Sudbury stacks up against similar sized municipalities. It's
clear our northern Ontario community, with a population of more
than 157,000, according to the 2006 Census, does not fare well
when compared to Richmond Hill (162,704), Burlington (164,415),
Greater Kingston (152,358), Oshawa (141,590) or Barrie
(128,430).
Sudbury has fallen behind other areas in providing adequate
facilities for youth sports. In fact, an internal document,
which studied Sudbury athletic facilities just a few years ago,
indicated the current slate of soccer fields and hockey arenas
could not properly service the existing base of users.
While spending towards capital expenditures in the area of
recreation remained minimal over the past two decades,
(especially when compared to some of the towns and cities noted
above), it is clear the wish for a new sports complex is not
driven by a need to make Sudbury the envy of countless Ontario
communities, but simply to help close the existing gap.
We can all acknowledge there are inherent benefits in a
healthier community: a lighter drain on the health care system,
a workforce with increased efficiency, and an opportunity to
share the life lessons that can be learned through sport.
The economic payoff is equally well-documented. Ask any Sudbury
and area athlete to outline the cost of just three days spent
at an out-of-town tournament and it quickly becomes apparent
that there is an element of creating a facility that could, at
least partially, pay for itself in the long run.
But perhaps more important for Sudbury than any one of the
areas noted above, is  every athlete who comes to town for
a competition, and every set of parents who tag along for
tournament action in the Nickel City, is a potential future
post-secondary student or member of the workforce who might be
sold on how much the city really has to offer.
The need to create opportunities to "sell the city" might not
be critical to Kingston - with its picturesque waterfront where
the waters of Lake Ontario meet the St. Lawrence - but it
certainly is a must for our area. Especially when we are
dealing with a southern Ontario population base who consider a
trek to Barrie as "heading north for the weekend."
It goes without saying, those who do not see the sports complex
as a priority have already ensured local politicians are aware
of their feelings. It is absolutely critical that the thousands
of residents who remain convinced that such a facility is both
needed and beneficial for a city this size, must make their
voices heard as well.
An online petition in support of the project is available at
www.open-ice.ca
.
Randy Pascal is the voice of Persona 10 Sports and the founder of SudburySports.com.
