News & Media
$20 million for Communiplex
Melville-area residents now have 20 million reasons to believe
they will soon have a new Communiplex.
More than 100 local residents packed into the city’s historic Opera
House Friday to learn the sometimes-controversial $24.5 million
arena-convention center complex will likely become a reality thanks
to a $20 million grant pledge from the federal and provincial governments.
Although many of them knew in advance the total government
funding would top $20 million, many of those at Friday’s announcement
could be seen wiping away tears during the presentation.
Perhaps one of those most excited by the announcement was
Mayor Walter Streelasky, who, along with the rest of council, made
building a recreation and cultural complex their main priority soon
after the last municipal election in October 2006.
“The only word that comes to mind is ‘Wow’,” Streelasky told the
excited crowd which jumped to its feet for standing ovations several
times during the announcement ceremony. “Now the citizens of
Melville and district are truly ecstatic.”
After more than two decades of study, discussion and delay, council
pledged in 2006 to forge ahead with a plan to replace the aging
Stadium. However, the bitter bickering, which dogged the project
right from its conception in the mid-1980s, almost sank council’s efforts
again.
One of the first hurdles the city was forced to jump was where to
build it. The community seemed split between two sites – where the
Stadium sits now on Second Avenue and at the Regional Park. The
city managed to sidestep that fight by picking a site on the west end
of First Avenue.
Backers of the project also had to wade through controversy while
deciding what the first phase of the project should include. While
most proponents agreed an ice surface is essential, some also wanted
a swimming pool attached. Council eventually settled on a plan to
have Phase 1 include the arena, a walking track, cardio-fitness center
and attached 400-seat convention center. Future phases could include
a pool.
Although it put the whole Phase 1 project forward in its grant requests,
council felt the $24.5 million price tag might be too rich for the
city. For planning purposes, city officials focused on building the
$17.8 million arena project and leaving the convention center for a
later date.
The next major hurdle was a growing groundswell of resistance to
the cost of the project. Many local residents argued even the stripped
down project would be too rich for city ratepayers. Many people worried
they wouldn’t be able to afford the tax hike or levy necessary to
pay for the project.
The city also faced a financial squeeze. Although the province had
increased its borrowing power to give the city the ability to take another
$6 million in loans, council hesitated to put all its fiscal eggs in
one basket. With demands to create more building lots and upgrade
Melville’s water system in the next several years, city officials were
concerned they couldn’t raise enough money to start building the
basic project this year.
But all those arguments against the project were shoved aside
amidst the excitement of Friday’s announcement. And Streelaksy told
the crowd the city now has the financial clout to go back to its original
plan to include the convention center.
The $20 million is made up of about $16.3 million in new grant
money under the federal Building Canada Fund split evenly between
Ottawa and Saskatchewan. The province promised the other $3.7
million under another program earlier this year.
However, Streelasky said after Friday’s ceremony, the new funding
has created a renewed urgency for the project. Because the BCF
grant rules demand the project be completed by March 31, 2011, the
mayor says city officials and planning committee members will be
pressed to get construction started as soon as possible.
“Very quickly we have to talk to (project manager) Graham Construction
and get it tendered probably by the end of May,” Streelasky
told The Advance during an interview after the ceremony. “We hope
to break sod by July.
“This was the last piece of the puzzle we needed. Now we’ll set the
budget and look at what the levy will be. One of the things this says
to the taxpayers is it’ll lessen the burden on the people here.”
Meanwhile, Yorkton-Melville MP Garry Breitkreuz was obviously
also caught up in the emotion of the moment as he announced the
federal government’s almost $8.2 million funding share.
“It really is a thrill and an honor to be here. This is a very exciting
time for us. A lot of water has run under the bridge since we met
(with council) at breakfast (to discuss the project) a while back. It is
great to see this project chosen to receive a BCF grant.”
Breitkreuz also credited his Conservative government colleagues
for listening to his pleas to approve Melville’s BCF request.
“At the federal level we worked closely with key Cabinet ministers
to promote the Melville Communiplex. Sometimes they almost
wanted to close their doors when they seen me coming.”
Melville-Saltcoats MLA Bob Bjornerud told the crowd he was
pleased to represent the province in making the funding announcement.
“In politics there are good days and there are bad days, but this is
one of the best days I’ve had in politics. I look forward to seeing the
impact this project has on your community and the surrounding
area.”
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