Adding her voice to the chorus of people calling for the protection of Laurentian University’s greenspace, mayoral candidate Miranda Rocca-Circelli has included it in her platform.
If elected, she would put forward motions to look at the purchase of area land alongside the university’s multi-use athletics building, the candidate said this week.
“In this time of adversity, there is an opportunity for the city. We currently risk losing some of our most precious resources,” she said in a media release.
“With Laurentian University commencing the liquidation of their assets, I believe an opportunity has emerged. … The current athletic department building is surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in Northern Ontario. The athletic building is a state-of-the-art multi-sport facility that is operational.”
The athletic building at Laurentian is home to the Olympic-sized Jeno Tihanyi Olympic Gold, full gym facility, rock climbing wall, two full-sized basketball courts, tennis courts, indoor track, squash courts and with additional facilities.
Rocca-Circelli proposes having the city purchase the old Sudbury Boat and Canoe property and the old Ramsey Airways property and for the city to bolster its existing bylaws to provide protections to Nepahwin Lake and its abutting green spaces.
“This will safeguard our water resources while ensuring our land and infrastructure is preserved,” Rocca-Circelli said.
Accompanying this motion would be another one to have the city explore the valuation of Laurentian’s multi-use athletics building and surrounding land to determine the cost of acquiring it. Its operational costs would also be determined.
“If the review shows that owning and operating the multi-sport facility is feasible and profitable, I will put forth a motion to have existing funds that the city has set aside to be reallocated for the potential purchase,” Rocca-Circelli said, adding that another viable option might be some kind of partnership with Laurentian.
“It would also drive economic growth in our direction by hosting tournaments which would host thousands of visitors. This opportunity exposes the beauty which surrounds our city, while attracting guests. The hope is this exposure may attract an interest to live, work and thrive in Sudbury.”
Running against Rocca-Circelli is Mayor Brian Bigger, former Sudbury Liberal MP Paul Lefebvre, former Ward 4 Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac and homelessness advocate Bob Johnston. Neither Bigger nor Lefebvre have filed their nomination paperwork yet, but indicated they plan on doing so.
Sudbury.com plans on meeting with Rocca-Circelli sometime next week for an introductory story similar to those written about her political opponents.
