BY BILL BRADLEY
City taxpayers are being asked this Wednesday evening at the priorities committee of city council to ante up $10 million for the proposed school of architecture being planned for the downtown.
Blaine Nicholls, retired architect and chair of the committee for the $35 million Northern Ontario School of Architecture, hired a consultant to work on a feasibility study for the project, said Greater Sudbury business development officer Jean-Mathieu Chenier.
Chenier then prepared a report for the priorities committee using the feasibility study as a basis.
In his report is indicated the following:
-the capital cost for the 75,000 square foot building is estimated at $27 million with another $8 million for furniture, fixtures and services
-total cost would be $35 million
-the city would provide $10 million, $1 million per year over 10 years leading to a tax levy increase of .6 per cent
-the committee has estimated the economic spin-off, indirect and with the multiplier effect, would be approximately $15 million per year
-all design, construction and furnishing to be done locally
-city to receive $2 million in tax revenue during the construction phase
-city to receive $500,000 to $1 million per year in tax revenues upon completion
-ongoing expenses to be funded from the provincial government
-the building would house 420 students, faculty and staff
A one-time capital investment of $35 million would be quickly paid back through an injection of over $15 million new dollars each year afterwards. Federal and provincial funding partners are being courted, states the report.
However, city council budget chief Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan said the project is one of many expensive projects coming before council at this time just as consultations for the 2009 budget are underway.
Callaghan was at a seniors budget consultation Monday at the Parkside Centre where seniors told him and city staff that they can not pay increased property taxes.
Seniors said all their costs from house maintenance to heating costs have risen leading them to struggle to stay in their homes.
“Where are we going to get the money to pay for this contribution as well as all the other contributions we are continually being asked to contribute to? We do not have the money."
