Ward 11 city council candidate John Lindsay said he's not impressed Greater Sudbury city council declining to stop spending on the Kingsway Entertainment District project while appeals are underway.
It was obvious to those attending the Sudbury city council meeting on Tuesday Sept. 11th that to quote an old saying “there are none so blind than those who will not see,” Lindsay said in a press release.
This is in reference to councillors who ignore the absurdity of moving ahead with the controversial Kingsway Entertainment District despite the real possibility that LPAT appeals might be successful, he said.
With respect to the appeal, while the LPAT may refer concerns back to the city if the appeal is initially successful, the fact remains that tons of salt yearly from the large parking area to Ramsey Lake will be a problem”for which there is no mitigation solution, regardless of city claims, and traffic congestion cannot be eliminated even by constructing new roadways according to city traffic staff, Lindsay said.
Therefore further appeal action might well take place and additional delays or the project denied. As well, a new more responsible council elected this October might abandon this start crossed endeavour altogether, he said.
“I am on record speaking on this issue in council chambers, where I explained that I was intrigued by the prospect of a new arena as proposed by Mr. Zulich when the price was $60 million and then disenchanted when the city became involved and the price became $100 million,” Lindsay said, in the press release.
He points to the relatively new sports-entertainment centre in London Ontario, where his daughter lives.
It has a capacity of just over 9,000 for hockey and can accommodate over 10,000 for concerts. It was built for approximately $43 million in 2001 ($53 million in today’s dollars).
Like here in Sudbury, London City Council agreed to fund most of the cost, which “amounted to significant debt payments causing property taxes to drastically increase in early years of the arena to pay off the debt.”
As for how much taxes will increase in Sudbury, “I will let those with math skills and more stomach than I have to figure out this amount,” he said.
“But I am sure it might cause many to turn to drink or other intoxicating substances if there is any discretionary money left to do so, after what cannot help to be a hefty tax hike.
This is money that could be used for other civic purposes, like repairing our crumbling roads and other infrastructure, he said.
There's also the $120 million earmarked for the Arts Junction downtown.
“As far as I can determine, despite our city regreening efforts, we do not have any money trees and no likely benevolent Federal or Provincial money to come our way, especially not from the Ford nation,” Lindsay said.
Even though most of city council seems blind to the financial implications of what seems to be ill considered decisions and stubborn refusals to acknowledge reality, many in the public do have their eyes wide open and will we trust make informed choices as to who will better responsibility represent them come Oct. 22, he said.
“There is still hope,” Lindsay said. “Question candidates carefully and then remember to vote.”
