This article was published as paid editorial in the King Sentinel on May 12, 2010.
For the print version please click here.
Several people have asked me why I’m not smiling in my election materials. Quite simply, it’s because I have nothing to hide: No smile, no arms crossed. Just my face – approachable, certainly honest, and some would say (my Mom at least), intelligent and critical.
I’m currently the only non-incumbent running for election in King, so I feel an even greater moral duty to strip the sugar coating off a few issues that many Ward 4 and King residents take for granted, as explained (or not) by their Council representatives.
I have a list of issues I intend to bring to your attention to think about and discuss with your incumbent Councillors and candidates between now and October 25th. No doubt over the coming months, other candidates like me who will offer positive change and leadership to their communities will join and add to this discussion.
Agree or disagree, we need to talk about King’s next 10 years because I believe we’ll lose much of what we so value here, unless we raise the bar and deliver better leadership to our Council this Fall.
Here’s my first issue: The “old” Schomberg Arena is to be sold off.
Why you ask? To help cover the Township’s debt in constructing the “new” Schomberg Arena (& King Township Curling & Fitness Centre).
Did anyone tell you this? I bet not.
No one told Clair Thompson, who’s Grandfather Clarence Wood some 50 years ago excavated the site and was a welder on the project, along with dozens of selfless local tradesmen who built this modest but landmark structure. Nor did anyone tell the generations of hockey players and skating enthusiasts who grew up inside its walls, some watching their own children and grandchildren inside the boards now. Clair doesn’t want to see the arena sold off, to anyone – it’s a heritage facility and needs to be preserved. Not necessarily as an arena, he told me, but surely the structure can be preserved.
As many of us now know, the Township is required to cover $4.7 million of the the arena’s total construction cost of $14.5 million (the rest comes from the Provincial and Federal stimulus funds). Buried deep withinParks Recreation & Culture Department Report PR-2010–6, page 34, is a section titled, “Financial Implications”, and it describes the breakdown of King Township costs to finance the new arena. Besides Development surcharges of $1.4 million; and naming rights for the facility to the tune of $750,000; there it is, stated in plain view: “Proceeds from existing Sch. Arena (sale) $1,385,000″.
That’s right – the old Arena is going to be liquidated, if the current Council majority have it their way.
So much as this article is focused on the impending sale of the “old” arena, I want to clarify my position on the “new” arena, curling and fitness facility:
The new arena is a 100% go — and I’m all for it.
As Councillor I will work to assure its timely completion, and maximize its benefits to Ward 4 and all King residents.
One thing you were told: Bill Cober stated in the King Sentinel on July 15, 2009 that, “… the new arena would pay for itself”. In light of the new facility’s dependence on the old arena’s liquidation, plus questionable sponsorship rights revenue ($750,000? Who’s kidding who?), perhaps Councillor Cober should have explained more.
You likely weren’t told this: Any shortfall in the Township realizing funding from these sources will be spread across our general Township tax base. That’s all taxpayers in the Township folks (so much for the new arena “paying for itself”). And why? The excessive debt spending over the last several years, including the King City and now Nobleton sewer projects, plus debentured deficits that would otherwise have increased your taxes into the double digits, has exhausted our ability to issue new debt for such things. In fact, the Nobleton sewer bylaw passed 4-3 on April 28th is conditional upon the Township receiving a favourable decision from the OMB, allowing us to significantly exceed our statutory debt level. We will have no ability to borrow folks – so any shortfalls will be paid for by all King taxpayers like you and me.
Conveniently, the Schomberg Plan (1997) is being revised. As it stands, this plan has many flaws I won’t go into, but it does define developable lands within our village. It’s a near perfect alignment of fortune that would allow the the “updated” plan to change the arena lands to a residential designation. My crystal ball shows that in a few years you’ll see a small subdivision replacing what Clair’s Grandfather and many others built with their own hands. I won’t even go into the implications for the Fairgrounds to operate effectively and efficiently without the arena there.
It’s up to our community – US – to decide the fate of this facility. And I can think of three worth talking about (there are surely more). All creative re-uses of this existing heritage structure, the first two of which would really put Schomberg on the map in terms of a tourist destination, sustainable community development and local employment:
- Full time farmer’s market and mill operation. Managed and part-financed with local partners including the Holland Marsh Grower’s Association, this would be a unique integration of agricultural activity and our residential community. Local produce for sale each and every day right within our community, produced by our local growers.
- Arts & Cultural Centre. King is already known as having one of the largest arts communities in Ontario, AND one of the fastest rates of growth in resident artists. This re-purposing would provide a focal point for arts in King, add flavour to our community, and draw tourists from far and wide, similar to what the McMichael does for the Kleinburg community, and more.
- Indoor soccer arena. At minimum, convert the building to provide year-round recreation for this increasingly in-demand sport among our youth.
How do we pay for any of these conversions? It may take a few years, likely a Council term at least, to gain YOUR consensus on the best alternative for the arena, and to engage public and private sources of partnership financing to capitalize the project.
We can do this folks! It’s been done very successfully in other communities and it can here too.
Success requires leadership, transparency, accountability, and most importantly, unity on Council. I believe we lack all 4 of these critical traits right now and I encourage you to talk about the fate of the arena with your neighbours, friends, current Council members, Schomberg Arena Board, Township staff and “Hello Ward 4!” – me.
Now you know what the best kept secret in Schomberg is.
MORE:
1) “A.R.T.” of the Matter: New Schomberg Arena Naming Rights Debacle
2) I discuss the fate of the Schomberg Arena further in STIMULATE: Economic Development.
3) By Councillor Cleve Mortelliti:
King City BLACK and Blue over Schomberg Rec Centre
No one has brought up the operating condition of the current arena. I belive that it is definatley time to build new facilites. The current arena is a extremly wasteful when it comes to operating costs. Being a resident of King Township I pride myself in being green. The old arena is not green in any way. The ice is formed using a leathal substance (amonia). The insulation R values in the ceilings and walls are almost non existant. The lighting is archaic. The amount of power the dehumidifers consume because the building isn’t properly sealed is sickening. The cost to complete a full overhall to bring the arena up to the same standards of a new arena could actually be greater than the additional funds the township will have to contribute to have the new arena built. It should be our priority to be a leader in reducing carbon emissions by operating township buildings as economicaly as possible.
With the region paying for such a huge chunk of this bill I think the council would be crazy not to go ahead with construction. The bottom line is that the new area has many more pro than cons.
Hi, Paul,
Congratulations on your decision, Paul, to run for Council in Ward 5. With this kind of passion for Ward 4 you should be running here!
To be clear, the “New” arena is a GO and as Councillor I will work to ensure its timely completion under our commitments to the Federal and Provincial stimulus fund requirements.
I liken the “New” arena to the “Trojan Horse” analogy. What appears to be gift can have many unexpected ramifications. Let me explain one of them in more detail:
Once the old arena has been decommissioned of its ice making equipment, the structure itself is sound and could be repurposed to a community use that provides benefits to us all for the foreseeable future.
I say “could” because in as much key community members and organizations like to see it become a full-time farmer’s market (OR arts & cultural centre OR Seniors Centre OR indoor soccer arena OR another purpose not yet proposed), with the majority of Council committing its $1.3 million estimated market value to its financial model for realizing its commitment to the “new” arena, it’s likely too late to save it.
That $1.3 million will have to be made up for somewhere else. And with our debt about to skyrocket for another reason (the Nobelton sewer project) based on a decision from the same Council 4-member majority, we will have NO ability to take on debt to take advantage of these opportunities for several years.
Keep in mind that the “New” arena debt has not been included in Council’s application to the OMB to exceed our statutory debt ceiling under the Municipal Act. Any shortfall in the Township’s ability to generate its $4.7 million toward the new facility will only be realized from the tax base — that means our property taxes. Yup. And in the year they are incurred.
No one openly discussed or presented funding options to our public so we’d know the “real” opportunities and costs of this project, the fate of the “old” arena being the most obvious. We had choices.
Accountability. Responsibility. Transparency. This is the lesson here Paul. We have little on Council at present and it’s put us at a dangerous tipping point. It’s one of my prime motivations for running.
Good luck in your campaign!
I think we have a remarkable opportunity here. The old Arena can be turned into something that will make us all proud. No one wants to see it turned into something like condos….
Personally, i would like to see an arts centre that reflects our “king” and the wonderful things that are going on inside of it. We have a vibrant Arts Community, so lets get behind it. But lets also create something that could be utilized by the fair as well.
Surely, we are creative enough to get this off off the ground!
The Chamber of Commerce, i understand also needs a home, can this be accommodated there are well??? With so many home based businesses, don’t we also need a conference centre???
I say, lets not make any decisions right now,
lets get some of these organizations together and see what they have to say.
BEFORE it is too late!
We need to organize and now!!!
Greg,
Thanks for bringing this to your campaign’s forefront.
History is worth preserving with modern uses.
Mike
Hello Greg:
I’ve been a longtime resident in the Schomberg area [48 yrs] and I’m a “toddler” where seniorhood is concerned [68 yrs old next month].
I read your article in last week’s Sentinel and nowhere in the article did I find any reference to the wonderful seniors who live in this town/area. We have many who are in the mid-90′s, 80′s and 70′s, who have contributed not only financially, but through their hard work in Schomberg.
I have been very concerned that there has never been and it looks like there never will be – a place where all our valuable seniors can go to socialize; play cards, games, do crafts, or just read a book.
There needs to be a dedicated place for seniors to gather, at no cost to them. It seems to me those in King Township could use the “old” arena as just such a place.
One would think that all the money our resident seniors of many years have put forth through tax money and/or donations to various local charities, that their way would be paved to have their own space.
Your ideas of a full-time farmer’s market and mill operation is very valid; an Arts and Cultural Centre [we have a hugs amount of local talent as yet virtually untapped}; the idea of an indoor soccer arena could be considered, but there are soccer fields available for the children to use now.
I’ll be watching closely to see how the race fairs as we approach
voting day. But as of now, you know where my personal interests lay.
Warm Regards,
Shirley Stonehouse
Hello Shirley,
Thank you for taking the time to write me – I appreciate this very much.
You raise an excellent idea for the use of the “old” arena.
No doubt we’ll need to figure out its best use during the next Council term. That is, if we can truly prevent its sale: The decision to build the “new” one was based on the sale of the old one.
If we don’t sell it, there will be at least $1.3 million that all King taxpayers will have to absorb – not a very popular thing in my opinion. I think it was unfair to Schomberg residents that this fact was not brought to light and discussed openly at the time.
Hello again Shirley,
I’ve just published what I will set out to do to support Seniors in Ward 4 and King.
You may enjoy reading SENIORS VISION: for Ward 4 & King.
Most importantly, I’d like to read your comments and those of other Seniors across King.
PLEASE COMMENT and join the discussion.
hey i think that you have some really good ideas for schomberg and that you would be a great counciller but selling of the schomberg arena is definatley going to hit home with a lot of people because the arena has been there forever and a lot of our memories are going to hockey or watching people play. I am definatley not going to sit by and watch one of my favourite places be turned into a vegtable center, soccer arena or anything else. You cant even think about SELLING the arena, thats one of the things that brings our community together.
So much as this article of mine is focused on the impending sale of the “old” arena, I want to further detail my position on the “new” arena, curling and fitness facility. As I clearly state above:
Timing, poorly thought-out Township funding, lack of REAL community consultation (especially with regard to the Township Master Plan that mandates a different type and location of structure), I have issues with.
It’s not the end result I find problematic: the new arena will be a huge benefit to our community. And I’ll be one of the first to sign up for a fitness membership. Tracy and I want to try curling, too and we’ll likely join the curling club.
What I take strong issue with, is the process that got us here, and it’s a theme that weaves through many of my platform issues.
Back to the subject at hand, my beef is with the way the “old” arena has been sacrificed to help finance the new one, without any meaningful input from the community – both in Ward 4 and King at large. Scarcely few residents I have talked to had any idea of this fate.
There is local and broader Township support for all three examples of re-purposing I describe. THAT is something that all residents and voters should be concerned with and champion- and from those I have talked to – they will be.
I realize this is a sensitive issue to voters in Ward for – and so it should be. Agree or disagree, I am writing here to gain your insights and thoughts so that I can represent you effectively.
Hey Greg, if the township doesn’t sell the old arena, where do you think they will come up with the $1.4 million for the construction of the new arena?
If the new arena project is scrapped, the township will loose the regions funding. Do you think this is a wise decision?
Although your ideas for the conversion of the old arena are unique, I don’t believe that they are economically stable in the sense that the cost of operation will be greater than its revenue. Who will pay for the short fall?
Hi Paul – great questions and thanks for contributing to this important issue. I’ve reproduced your questions below with my opinions underneath. Clearly you have an interest in this and I hope to hear back from you and others.
Hey Greg, if the township doesn’t sell the old arena, where do you think they will come up with the $1.4 million for the construction of the new arena?
Quite right Paul. But my point is that with no public consultation, the old arena was “theoretically” placed on the block. Until it is, a minimum of 1.4 million dollars will be coming out of each and every taxpayer’s pocket i.e. a 14% plus tax increase – and that’s only part of it. The Schomberg Fair is just around the corner. The main building and the grounds have been quietly slated for sale – the wording of such buried in a staff report. That’s significant to Schomberg and I’d say, it’s best kept secret in Schomberg.
Council and Staff may say that the only way the old Arena can be sold is by the passing of a bylaw, and it’s true this is the formal procedure. BUT .. and this is a big one:
The decision to commit to the new arena was made based on this funding formula. If Councillor Cober and the other Councillors who approved this project want to say the old Arena is NOT for sale, then what exactly did they base their approval on? The decision was based on a financial model that includes the sale of the old arena – that’s a fact.
If the new arena project is scrapped, the township will loose the regions funding. Do you think this is a wise decision? Although your ideas for the conversion of the old arena are unique, I don’t believe that they are economically stable in the sense that the cost of operation will be greater than its revenue. Who will pay for the short fall?
It will not be scrapped. The funding has been committed. The question is, how will King pay for its one third share. Sure, 2.3 million is coming from the houses being built in King City and Nobleton (I wonder how those villages feel about that?). But what about the remaining 2.6 million?
The point here is, where will that money come from? $1.4 million from the the old arena – fine (from “the best kept secret in Schomberg”). But that still leaves $1,200,000 from…naming rights, $100,000 in fitness membership pre-sales, and fund raising? The funding formula was set down on paper – set down to rationalize going forward on the project, and qualifying for the grant. All great for us in Schomberg. But does it make sense? And when you say, who will pay? The answer is: the whole Township will pay.
Perhaps the best kept secret in King Township is: how much of the 2.6 million will eventually come out of everyone’s pocket?
For more recent information on King’s increasing debt level, you will find this article in the latest issue of Novae Res Urbis, May 12, 2010*, quite informative (our debt level is “front page news”.
(* NOTE: This is a rather large PDF file – if you are on dial-up internet access you may regret clicking on this link).
Greg,
You raise some valid points that we should have all known about long before all of this. I worry about what is fiscally happening in King Township. And i worry that no one seems to be talking about it. I am becoming increasingly alarmed with all that I have been hearing about the increase in our township’s debit load. The general feeling has always seemed that being such a wealthy community, it will all take care of itself. But look at how popular the Food Bank has become. It seems that now may not be the best time to be exceeding our statutory debit level. Yes, we need the new facilities, badly.
So, how do you create a list of priorities? And what do you base them on?
The more I think about this new recreational facility for King, the more I ask myself the question “Why in Schomberg?”.
Schomberg is quite likely the most inconvenient location for 95% of the population of King Township residences!
And, it is excessive in a time where restraint is required and infrastructure projects should be limited to only the most important of community needs.
Build the EMS station. I have every confidence that it is required. But do we need an NHL sized hockey rink for a sport that is financially inaccessible to many, many young families in King that cannot afford the equipment, the fees and the gas to get to the rink?
This spending blitz in King has got to stop.
I welcome other’s opinions here…
Bill Cober and Margaret Black do not deserve to be re-elected.
They are not acting on the will of the people and cannot run a fiscally responsible government. They don’t even pretend to be prudent.
It is absolutely time for a change in King. We need people with integrity in our local government.
Mark