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nivek_wahs
03-06-2007, 04:56 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=96771c28-1380-46fe-a957-98da8d2c6532&k=37576


New arena plan on hold

Alison Sebastian, Saskatchewan News Network
Published: Tuesday, March 06, 2007

MOOSE JAW -- After a blur of motions it's back to square one. On Monday evening, Moose Jaw city council reversed its decision to fund the multiplex through a tax levy in a 6-1 vote.

At Thursday's capital budget committee meeting, city councillors passed a motion 5-1 that 100 per cent of the city's capital requirements ($12.3 million) for a multiplex or new arena project be funded by a new levy and a referendum be held on the establishment of the levy.

The amount of the levy discussed at the meeting ranged from a nine-per cent to a 17.33-per-cent tax increase.

On Monday Coun. Brian Swanson was the only councillor who voted in favour of keeping the decision made Thursday.

Coun. Darin Chow, who is also the president of the Moose Jaw Warriors, was not present at Thursday's meeting when it was decided to fund the project through a tax levy.

The intention of the levy was to free up annual contributions to the major projects fund, which would otherwise be tied up for the next 25 years.

However Chow made his presence known at Monday's city council meeting where he moved the decision be referred back to budget discussions.

Councillors Dawn Luhning and Brian Swanson voted against the referral motion.

"There was a three-hour meeting held at a capital budget meeting where it took an hour and a half of debated and now three days later the majority of council is referring it back," said Swanson.

During Monday's budget committee meeting, Chow expressed his concerns about going back to the electorate until the project was clearly defined and it was known how much money would be available from the federal and provincial government.

"I won't support going back to the community with estimates. The first referendum was difficult enough," said Chow.

He was referring to the binding October plebiscite in which 70 per cent of the 9,783 citizens who voted on the plebiscite question were in favour of the city committing $15 million to the construction of multiplex facility that would include a hockey and curling rink at a cost of $36.3 million as envisioned in the Nustadia Business Plan.

After the motion to have a levy was reconsidered and defeated Chow moved that the source of funding for the project be tabled until it was known how much additional funding would be available.

Coun. Dawn Luhning said she didn't see the point of tabling the matter if administration was advising council to move ahead with the project.

She said the project was defined by October's plebiscite and said it shouldn't be taken lightly.

"The project has been defined by the drafters of the petition, not council. It was the advocates of the petition who tied council's hands," Chow said in response.

The motion to table the source of funding for the multiplex was carried 4-3.

Councillors Swanson, Luhning and Mary-Dell Findlay voted against the motion.

City Councillor were advised by the city clerk they needed to consult with the public if they plan to spend more than $15 million unless alternate sources of funding other than city money was used for the extra funds required.

All four options the city is considering for the next facility, which it has also told the WHL it would have in place by 2009, include shortfalls of city funding ranging from $4.65 million to $20.4 million.

Moose Jaw Times Herald

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007

Big Ern
03-06-2007, 10:26 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=96771c28-1380-46fe-a957-98da8d2c6532&k=37576

I do think, if this "on-hold" thing goes on for a lot longer, M.J. will not have a team anymore. If they were to go, that would be awful. So they better get the show on the road.

agent
03-06-2007, 11:22 AM
They have over $70,000,000 in the City reserve fund to do it ,But are pushing to get as much Fed and Prov Government funding possible.
If they just do it on their own without gov't funding commitment do you think they will get it after the fact? LOL . Not the way the Govt operates. :thumb:

Plans will be ready in July with construction start Sept/07 , once they get commitments for the free money from our powers at be. dancing pi

vote4arealclown
03-06-2007, 12:38 PM
I for one as a Pats fan love to go to Moose Jaw to see the Pats play.

I can't believe that they still can't get there act together and get a new rink build....but I guess this is also the same community that Canned Steve Young. A coach that set a franchise record for the most wins in a season.

agent
03-06-2007, 03:08 PM
I for one as a Pats fan love to go to Moose Jaw to see the Pats play.

I can't believe that they still can't get there act together and get a new rink build....but I guess this is also the same community that Canned Steve Young. A coach that set a franchise record for the most wins in a season.

LOL . Thats kinda funny. You seem to be implying the players like Boyd, Brouwer, Jones, who are playing NHL only a few months later had nothing to do with the great season last year. :laugh:
I did hear him say more than once that when he needed a goal he would put these players on the ice and they got a goal. Guess thats good coaching. ;)

vote4arealclown
03-07-2007, 07:06 AM
and who would have thought that a coaches job is to Motivate and develop players? Any who getting this thread back on track...Get that Rink Built!

agent
07-18-2007, 06:50 PM
With 8.4 Million today from provincial Gov't and 15 Million from City of Moose Jaw and now a total of over 25 Million guaranteed I would say we will see construction start as soon as spring 2008.

To all the skeptics ................. Its happening . yeehoo punk rock

Trav
07-18-2007, 10:55 PM
Moose Jaw deserves to have a new rink and they deserve a hockey team, no ifs, buts or maybes.

It would suck if they cant get a new rink and the Warriors were forced to leave.

wardog fan
07-18-2007, 11:01 PM
i for one who is from moose jaw born and raised, and let me tell you i am a die hard hockey and warrior fan. but to the facts i am embarrassed to live in moose jaw right now with this drama and very poor leadership from our powers to be. not one of the members on our council besides chow is a board of director for the warriors wants to make any kind of move forward for the rink. the talk is construction is coming soon, as soon as spring of 2008? guys its almost auguest now and they havent even covered the basics of where to build and the plans that go with that ? we are again let me re phrase that our powers at be are trying to put off and hold off on any movement forward in this city . its horrifing for me to take my family or friends or visit friends in other cities and towns who are passing us by both economical and population. again let me remind some that our population base has been the same for what 10 years now, and yet we see all these new houses and hear all the talks of something big is coming? that something big may be coming but i fear it will come to late to help in this city when it comes to the warriors. our city has no industrial help or corporate help , regina takes all the big help that is close to us for the riders and the pats,i.e mosiac and saskferco. but i heard saskferco has come up with some money as well as molsons. from my totals 15 mill from the city 15 mill from the committee which they have to produce before the city will give money and now 8 mill from the government and again thats not all for the rink it is to help improve alot of things in the city as well as help build the rink in caronport and this sur plus of money our city holds and like the population does not want to change their bank statements, our roads suck the city which has so much potential sucks right now. that was stated in the paper and on discover moose jaw about the money from the govenrment for the city to allocate it . so with that and whatever money has been raised which i have not heard of anything being done or fundraiseing or anything in the papers, all i hear is the council voting yes and going forward then stopping. im very optimistic but im not holding my breathe till ground is broke for this rink. lets not forget that if they decide to give the money and ok everything there is still the debate of where this rink will go and to put it downtown or whereever its going to take another 8 years of debate.lol my idea is build a huge trailer on some farm start building the rink on it till we decide where to put it and do it. but thats a pipedream i know.lol i fear by 2010 we will have a sjhl team and this city has no one to blame but our council for it . again i maybe wrong on some facts but for my point im tired of it all and its very hard to keep up with all the drama, trust me try and watch a soap opera for a week, thats what this is like...
proud warrior fan from day one , till the end....
go warriors....

patsdude114
07-22-2007, 10:26 AM
i completely agree with u...i used to come to mj everyday of the week for work and my job is a driving job...drive around moose jaw and the roads there r horrible some r just gravel roads (i.e 9block duffield) like come on people pay taxes in this city at least they should get is paved roads....and dont even get me started on the back alleyways there.... i dont think the city likes to maintain things in moose jaw besides a water break...this city has to have money put away why not spend some of it and im not just saying on the rink..... im a huge supporter of MJ getting a new rink i think it is very vital for this city to be what it is today and to grow (but also need some industry there with the closeing of the pork plant, and Raider) MJ i think is a great small city just need a few things to go there way to grow.....

Oh and my dads theroy on new houses being build in Regina and im sure its the same in MJ is that so many people r getting divorces now a days that a so called family now needs 2 homes instead of 1...lol just a theroy lol


Good Luck MJ on the rink.... and the up coming season

Warriorfanatic
07-26-2007, 10:26 AM
If you ever get a chance; sit in on one of Moose Jaw's city councils. The problem in my humble and uneducated opinion is that some on council only want their own agenda's supported, some can only say no, some are weak and follow the strong. That is the problem when you have part time city fathers. Council should be made up of full time councilors, why? Because it removes their personal business agenda's and should, (I say this tongue in cheek) put their focus on the concerns of the city. The city should also go to the ward system so that each area of the city has fair representation on council.

A rink is a must for this city, if it wants to grow. But so are improved roads, the hospital expansion and the basic infrastructure. The city also needs industry, it is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Our young people need a place to work, with out work and work opportunities at home, our next generations will keep moving away. The tax base dwindles. Simple math there, nothing that is going to hurt the old brain pan. The city grows on the strength of families, young families that are raising the next generation. If we have no young people interested in staying, because the option to stay is not available, then we will have negative growth.

We need the Warriors too, for the entertainment they bring and for the revenues the City enjoys sucking out of them and for the role models they can provide for our youngest citizens. The multiplex is bigger than just an arena for hockey fans. It will become a hub for the community and for business. You could hold true trade shows now, with room to hold them and it would afford us the opportunity to bring in musical and show talent. Does it need to be downtown, I am not sure. Should it go downtown because land owners now believe that their dilapidated and empty buildings are easy cash cows, and are only now offering them up for the easy cash than the answer should be no. The arena should not make these leeches rich.

I for one say no to the levy idea for the rink, our fathers are already collecting a levy for the hospital and have been for some time. Who has seen the expansion work being done? No one, because it has not started and costs are already going up. Too those people who think that the rink is a hand out to the Warriors and the few thousand fans guess again. It means entry level jobs for our kids, business opportunities, it means revenue, it means taxes to the city. The spin off potential is enormous. I guess the city just wants to shut the door and turn off the lights to development of our city and its general well being.

Having said no to the levy, I will tell you that I said yes to the election question about the rink during the last election. The city fathers better look at the public record and start acting on the wishes of the public and to stop wasting our tax dollars through thoughtless bickering and wasted time.

I want a rink and I am a proud Warrior sponsor, sorry if that bothers you. nhl

wango tango
07-26-2007, 12:27 PM
the longer the situation continues and no commitment is made, the worse it is. particularily in the cost area. as someone with experience in the fabrication and construction area, costs since the beginning of the year have gone up dramatically, and will continue to do so, particularily if nothing has been locked in. many construction companies will not even provide a final locked in price, there is simply too much fluctuation right now. if i read correctly the original cost was estimated at $36 mil? has anything gone to tender? i think you can conservatively add another $10 million to the cost and likely more than that for the final bill.

wardog fan
07-26-2007, 01:14 PM
its going to be a sad day when the warriors leave town and we can all blame the current city counsel for it, in three years when we lose the team the city will still be around 30,000 people no extra jobs, no road recovery and a hosiptal that is near being condemned. this city is a ****ing joke and its sad that i cant get the heart to leave my family here. well one postive i want the movie and sitcom rights to this, that might bring in some jobs. but swanson might kill that idea too....

Warriorfanatic
08-06-2007, 04:59 PM
Why is the city so bloody quiet on what they are doing? We get this board of directors and the first thing they want to do is carve out some traveling perks and sight see. The City planner, The Warriors Governor and a rep from the Advisory Council is all that is required to go on this tour in my mind. We don't need to send the whole apple dumpling gang! Now having said that, a recce by these folks would be prudent to gather info, but a lot of this info could have been mailed to us here in the Jaw. The sight visit would then allow us to imagine what we get for the various levels of funding.

nhl #5