Owen Sound council approved a $350,000 increase to the Julie McArthur Rec Centre roof project, bringing costs to nearly 50% above the original estimate due to hidden deterioration.
The taxpayers got the shaft back in 2010 when Mayor Lovell-Stanners had a town hall meeting. As usual our councilors went ahead without a clue on how much it would cost. And no idea where the money would come to pay for it. What was it? 100% over forecast budget. Peter Lemon came to the rescue and said the interest from the sale of Georgian Bay Energy would pay for it. Just when is white elephant going to be paid? And where is the principal from the sale? Fergus had the same problem and put another ice surface beside the old arena and added on a pool, kid's pool and exercise room and all. And, no Y. All owned by the municipality. But this could not be done at the Bayshore because of all the renos done to appease the Junior Hockey crowd. Hence the monstrosity of the Rec Center is the result of a multiple bad decisions over the decades by various Councils. JOHN PICKETT
The taxpayers got the shaft back in 2010 when Mayor Lovell-Stanners had a town hall meeting. As usual our councilors went ahead without a clue on how much it would cost. And no idea where the money would come to pay for it. What was it? 100% over forecast budget. Peter Lemon came to the rescue and said the interest from the sale of Georgian Bay Energy would pay for it. Just when is white elephant going to be paid? And where is the principal from the sale? Fergus had the same problem and put another ice surface beside the old arena and added on a pool, kid's pool and exercise room and all. And, no Y. All owned by the municipality. But this could not be done at the Bayshore because of all the renos done to appease the Junior Hockey crowd. Hence the monstrosity of the Rec Center is the result of a multiple bad decisions over the decades by various Councils. JOHN PICKETT