Rink Expansion

[Willis on the Welfare]

This subject is dicussed a few topics down but I feel it deserves a thread of it's own.

Plans for the Civic Center are again put on hold. Our City Council, which has spent liberally on a sh*t treatment facility, skateboard park, lights at the ball park, two city hall location transfers and the worst slogan since "make 7 Up yours", has decided to kibosh the current plans. Are they on hold? Was the plan too expensive? Have they decided not to renovate? No one knows. The City has had forums for skate parks, plebicites and public meetings for casinos yet nothing for the renovation of the biggest part of the city, the Civic Center.

For some of the projects the city has hit full speed ahead, the lack of commitment to the Civic Center is apalling.

Sandy Larson can show up at the Bronco awards banquet and make a speech in her serious voice about how important the Broncos are to the community, yet City Council is more concerned with proactively preparing to deal with effluent than they are our hockey team. Why are we in such a hurry to make a waste water facility? I use the toilet, I flush the toilet, the contents of the bowl disappears. All good. Why do we need to spend 15 mil right now to change that?

I've said it before, I'll say it again; the arena is the crown jewel of any dynasty. Our city council's crown jewel is an effluent plant. Sh**ty Council.

We delay because of the curling club. Why? Give the curling club an asbestos free place to play and tell them if they want more to do the fundraising themselves. The fact we put our rink plans and the fate of junior hockey on hold for a sport that DOES NOT DRAW is apalling. The Broncos draw thousands of people 40 times a year. Curling will bring a crowd of 200 tops. The Tankard was in Swift Current a few years ago and I defy anyone that says more than 100 people were there watching at any given time. Remember the Dynamic Classic? Me neither. Don't say a better facility will make people interested in freezing their ass off while chasing a rock with a broom.

If you want to make curlers happy sink $20,000 into the Big I and get the p*ss smell out.

The arena is priority one in any vibrant and growing city. Plans are in place for a new facility in the Hat. Lethbridge is always improving the Enmax. If you think the Saddledome has gone five years without some kind of upgrade you're on glue. Look a cities the same size as Swift. Cranbrook? 4,000 seat arena with a wavepool and a food court. Yorkton? Yorkton is putting 20 mil into their arena. Yorkton is growing in terms of population, not to mention a large trading area with places like Melville and Esterhazy really close by.

Is it ridiculous to entertain the idea of the Yorkton Broncos? A $20,000,000 reno to their barn, they're going to want something in there.

That would hurt.

I suppose we don't need to worry about losing the Broncos. Some good family entertainment in the form of a casino is on the way.

[Jovorock]

What's the population of Yorkton and Swift and how far apart are the two cities?

[Toswammi]

Yeah, whats up with all this. Geez if we are in such a big financial boom, why can't we spend the money we need to make the old CCC into a slightly newer CCC. This news is really getting agrivating for sure, if they are having money concerns, sell the naming rights of the building to Coke for the money needed, at least the CokeaCola Center is still the CCC. Here is my hope, they are waiting until hockey season, and announce it at a hockey game, it would make sense to me. Sandy Larson seems to me to be one who loves the publicity, and this would give her the spotlight, but if she really wants to make noise, how about a provincal gov't sponsered venture to put a brand new rink swift.

[Son of a Preacher Man]

This city council is starting to scare me. They came in with all this crap of vote for me and you will see the city boom. Boom is right but lets get our heads on straight. This effluent plant will draw thousands from the S.W. It can only help draw industry. The Indians ball club draw maybe 1,000 people for two months to our ever growing city. So lets spends lots on lights. Yet the Bronco's who draw 2500 people to the city 36 times a year get dick. Makes no sense. Come on Larson, you made the commitment and now you are saying oh well. This is ticking me off.

[Son of a Preacher Man]

My point on this is the Swift Current Bronco's are very importent to this city. Moose Jaw has already received a letter telling the club that renovations are needed to bring the rink up to league specs. Swift Current will not be far behind in getting a letter from the league if these reno's are on hold much longer.

The effluent plant is great for the city's future but so are the Bronco's. There was no pause in spending 15 million on the plant. Also the curling rink and ice hockey bring alot to this city, more so than the Indians. The ball season is two months not 8-10 months like the Bronco's. My point here is why is it so hush hush. The renovation to the CC is long over due and needed for the viability of the Bronco's. More suites add revenue. Another concession in the new area will also add to it.

[Scout]

I don't like the silence either. No news is not good news in this case. There has to be a major problem here or the city would be already talking to the media and would be releasing news leaks. I'm hoping this is not in the garbage already or it will be one more shot in the foot for junior hockey. We nned this reno. Maybe we should ask an alderman when we see one of them around town.

Scout

[Willis on the Welfare]

I caught the tail end of something on the radio about rink expansion. Sounds like the plans were steak and lobster and the City is thinking more like an extra value meal. Back to the drawing board.

This is a joke.

The Ball Park get's the best set of lights in Western Canada. We've already addressed the multi-million dollar crap plant not to mention 200+ thousand dollars of skatepark. Don't get me wrong, all of that is good for the community, but to get all Dyck Friesen with the Civic Center shows that Council's priorities are out of whack.

VOTE WILLI$ 2006!!!

[Tinner]

heres my take.....small centers with limited sponsorship help are prime targets for franchise transfers or buyouts. Edmonton is chomping at the bit. Ownership groups, whether public or private, will look at any substantial offer. So what keeps a team where its at, strong owners, strong communities and most of all, a rink capable of supporting the team. Players want to be part of a class organization, and have a decent rink to play in. Fans want a decent rink to view the game and the issue is money. What kind of ecomomic impact does the team bring to the City? 36 games a year.....and as I have read in the earlier posts, sh*t does run downhill, at least in Swift.

[Willis on the Welfare]

In the past, Swift Current's mayor has appeared at the Broncos awards banquet saying the Broncos are an important part of the city and she is commited to their staying in Swift Current.

Hogwash.

For Sandy Larson to appear one moment pledging support for the Broncos and then tightening the purse strings and going TOTALLY SILENT on the Broncos huge financial loss shows her loyalty to the Broncos is analagous to Henry Burris commitment to a Rider Grey Cup.

Am I saying the City should come to the financial aid of the Broncos? No.

Should our elected officials start to walk the walk and spend some time talking about the Broncos and how they can help at the next council meeting?
Wouldn't hurt.

Let's not make this all about the Broncos either. A well upgraded arena transcends just hockey. If you build it they will come.

[Scout]

The Bronco are very good for our economy and always will be. I'm a business owner and i have seen the impact. There are anywhere between 2,000 and 2,500 per game. I'm guessing over 50% are from surrounding area's. These are people that travel into town for the game. They come early and do their grocery shopping, eat at a restaurant, some get a hotel for the evening. I see so many people from out of town shopping in my store when there is a game. Business in this town do support the team, except the ones that benefit the most. I see very few adds in programs or on rink boards for restaurants and hotels. Where the frig is a Macdonalds sign or A&W. How many of these people that attend games stop at a fast food place? Lots.

Now the city has to see the economic impact this team has. The Indians ball club gets $250,000.00 for new lights. They get 800 fans a game and most are from Swift. They spend $15,000,000.00 for a crap spreader and don't bat an eye. Now they are talking of spending $1,000,000.00 on a new fire truck. How many fire trucks do we need. The ones i see look new and shiney. How much is the new City Hall costing us? How about renovations to it? How much to renovate and relocate the museum?

I have nothing against growth as we are in the biggest economic boom since the 70's, but along with the boom has to be reno's to what draws the most people and puts Swifty on the national map and thats the Bronco's. Financially we are fine right now as we have a good stash in the bank for rainy days. I don't care if we use the rink rent free, that is part of bringing people to town and spending their money in Swift to keep businesses going.

As for Edmonton? They failed once and bad. I was at games in Edmonton and that rink was quarter full and quieter than a funeral. Swift has strong ownership with over 100 businesses being shareholders. We put our money where our mouth was by buying shares, now the city should do theirs by keeping the rink up to standards. As small markets moving? Small market teams were the backbone of this league. Flin Flon, Estevan, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, etc, They are true blue 100% hockey. You see guys like Tiger Williams, Bryon Trottier, Joe Sakic, Marc Hadscheid, Pat Marleau, etc. return to these little hockey town each summer. Why? Because places like Swift have become their second homes. It became their second homes because of the people, the way they were treated when they played here. That says something about how the players enjoy playing in little towns. They play as a team and they chum together as a team. They are part of our community unlike the so called major centers where nobody knows who they are. I've watched alot of games in the Dub, and i enjoy watching games in the old barns that are loud and proud and packed than a 16,000 seat rink that has 5,000 for a game.

Scout