Mayoral Candidate Bill Crumplin says he's been told he'll get a response to his Freedom of Information request he filed Aug. 2 seeking details of the arena/casino partnership agreements.
“Oh, but there’s a catch,” Crumplin says in a news release. “The details will not be released until Oct. 31, well after the election. So much for being open and transparent!”
Crumplin opposed the Kingsway Entertainment District, and is dismayed by plans to spend even more money on the downtown Junction project.
“Voters from across the city have made it clear to him that there are many areas in our city with poor roads and crumbling infrastructure that are being overlooked,” the release said. “As an educator in urban design, I cannot understand why we would commit unknown amounts of taxpayer money to the KED when our roads are in such a poor state of repair.”
When combined with The Junction, Crumplin says “that’s over $200 million of wants without addressing our needs.
“Besides,” Crumplin says, pointing out the economic and architectural successes of the revamped multi-use Maple Leaf Gardens, “we could do that here. The Sudbury Arena can be transformed into meeting some of these functions at a much lower cost than the KED.”
Full text of Crumplin's statement:
Media Release: No openness and transparency from the city concerning the KED until after the election.
Mayoral Candidate Bill Crumplin has heard back from the city regarding the FOI he requested on August 2nd, and learned that the details of the Arena/Casino partnership agreements will be released. “Oh, but there’s a catch,” says Crumplin. “The details will not be released until Oct. 31, well after the election. So much for being open and transparent!”
Crumplin does not support the Kingsway Entertainment District nor, does it seem, do the people he has met in his travels to all of the communities throughout Sudbury. He says, “people tell me that they want better roads and infrastructure and they want a government that actually listens to citizens.”
Voters from across the city have made it clear to him that, “there are many areas in our city with poor roads and crumbling infrastructure that are being overlooked.” He goes on to say, “that as an educator in urban design, I cannot understand why we would commit unknown amounts of taxpayer money to the KED when our roads are in such a poor state of repair.”
Crumplin says, “we should be very concerned that under the leadership of the current mayor, we are heading down a path that will cost at least $100 million for the arena/event centre, 46 million for an art gallery and library, and $63 million for a convention centre!” He goes on to say, “That’s over $200 million dollars of wants without addressing our needs.”
“Besides,” Crumplin says, pointing out the economic and architectural successes of the revamped multi-use Maple Leaf Gardens, “we could do that here. The Sudbury Arena can be transformed into meeting some of these functions at a much lower cost than the KED.”
He goes on to say, “I understand why some people want new legacy-type structures, but we have current high order needs like better roads and infrastructure. I think we’ve got the cart before the horse.”
“As mayor,” Crumplin states, “I will commit to working with council to ensure we move forward in a balanced way that achieves both our wants and needs while respecting the fact that current and future taxpayers do not have bottomless bank accounts.”
