N.B. commission turns down Fredericton's request to help settle pool-funding squabble
Latest cost estimate for new aquatic centre stands at $74.2M
The City of Fredericton's efforts to get help to build and operate a new aquatic centre have been dealt a further blow.
After the city asked the province's Local Governance Commission to help settle the question of whether the project should be funded jointly by surrounding municipalities, Mayor Kate Rogers has been told the commission won't be intervening in the matter.
"A decision as to whether existing or proposed sport, cultural or recreational infrastructure is regional in nature is clearly for the [regional service commission] board to decide and not a decision that rests with the [Local Governance Commission]," Mary Oley, commission director, said in the letter sent in November.
"If the city is concerned that the [Capital Region Service Commission] did not follow the proper procedure in rendering its decision that the proposed aquatic centre is not regional in nature, the city may wish to contact the ombud of New Brunswick."
The city has long pursued a new aquatic centre and has pushed for it to be built with help from surrounding municipalities, particularly those that are part of the Capital Region Service Commission.
Pressure has mounted in recent years in light of the University of New Brunswick's plan to close the Sir Max Aitken Pool, where the city's competitive swim clubs are based.
The
aging Sir Max Aitken Pool is the only competitive swimming pool in
Fredericton, and a replacement for it is now estimated could cost about
$72.4 million. (Fredericton Diving Club)
Last May, a committee within the regional commission recommended the proposed new pool be considered regional, with a cost-sharing formula based on population, tax base and proximity to the pool.
But in June, members of the board — comprised of the mayors of the surrounding municipalities — voted down three separate motions to categorize the aquatic centre as regional, sub-regional or local.
The city then turned to the Local Governance Commission as it felt the outcome was procedurally unclear.
CBC News asked for an interview with Rogers about what the city plans to do next but she wasn't available until Monday, said Elizabeth Fraser, city spokesperson.
Oley declined to be interviewed.
"The Commission does not comment on specific situations or hypothetical scenarios but rather investigates complaints or studies requests within our legislated mandate," Oley said, in an email.
Turn to province for funding, says Arcadia mayor
Last June, only the mayors of Fredericton, Grand Lake and Arcadia, which includes Gagetown and surrounding areas, voted in favour of the pool being regionally funded.
In an interview Thursday, Arcadia Mayor Derek Pleadwell said he sees the value a new aquatic centre would bring to the region.
However, he said it might be time for the city to move on from seeking funding help from its neighbours.
"I think ... the City of Fredericton and Mayor Rogers and her council need to engage with the province and the federal government to move forward on the project," Pleadwell said.
Arcadia
Mayor Derek Pleadwell said he thinks the City of Fredericton should
seek funding help from the provincial and federal governments after a
group of mayors from surrounding municipalities voted against
participating in the project. (Submitted by Derek Pleadwell)
Though Pleadwell voted in favour of the project being regional, he said he understands why a majority of his counterparts did the opposite.
He said municipalities are still holding out for promised fiscal reforms that would provide them with more tax revenue.
Without that, he said it was difficult to get enough mayors on side with the pool project.
"With big projects — you talk millions of dollars — they have a tendency to grow and it becomes challenging on communities that are struggling with [property] assessments and costs going up," he said.
Cost-sharing a question for each council
Pleadwell said the most recent cost estimate for the new facility was pegged at around $74.2 million.
Under a cost-sharing formula proposed by a Capital Region Service Commission committee, Arcadia would have had to contribute $17,523 annually for the pool's construction and operation, if it were considered a regional project.
While he still wants to see the project move forward, whether the Village of Arcadia chips in financially is now a decision his council would have to make.
"I would bring it to my council and bring it to them for a vote. It would not be mine to take," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise
Rich Hatfield
If Freddy council cannot see the need to spend $75M on more important things than "the city's competitive swim clubs," maybe they shouldn't be the council.
Al Clark
Drive down the poorly maintained 2 lane rte 7 to the aquatic centre in Saint John ;-0
David Amos
Reply to Al Clark
You know why Derek Pleadwell has ignored my concerns since 2009 Correct?
Why did the reporter include which districts did not support the pool funding?
David Amos
Reply to Jack Straw
Go Figure
Content Deactivated
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Fat Fred City's new MLA will look out for her riding
The city will certainly get funding from the province, since they're now dealing with a free spending Liberal government (meaning all NB taxpayers will be subsidizing a Fredericton swimming pool).
A new federal government will have so many messes to clean up that I doubt there'll be much, if any, help there.
Final cost will come in at well over $100 million. Swimming pools are nice to have, but it seems to me that the city and province have many more important and urgent priorities when it comes to spending.
Bob Smith
Reply to Don Corey
I think PP would help build the pool.
Don Corey
Reply to Bob Smith
I’m sure he’d be pleased to hear from the mayor of Fredericton.
David Amos
Reply to Bob Smith
That depends on the result of the next election
David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
I bet he would
Bob Smith
Maybe the city of Fredericton should get funding from the same folks that greenlit the new Playhouse. By that, I mean the high income residents living there.
David Amos
Reply to Bob Smith
Perhaps
There are enough Oligarchs in Freddy to build an olympic complex without hooking the taxpayers of NB.
Don Corey
Reply to Allan Marven
True, but all of us will end up seeing our tax money going into an obviously regional facility.
Lou Bell
Reply to Allan Marven
Moncton and Saint John have certainly " been fed hundreds of millions from the trough , so why shouldn't the citizens of fredericton get the same ? There are so many " only me " people who love to state how they're minimalized and who just aren't .
David Amos
Reply to Lou Bell
The new premier said she's hopeful that New Brunswickers will see her keeping promises — from improving health care, housing and education to relatively quicker measures like a cap on rents and the removal of the HST from power bills — and re-elect her in 2028.
Her majority victory in the Oct. 21 provincial election was the most lopsided win in New Brunswick since 2010, and the biggest winning margin for the Liberal Party since 1995.
In a recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute, 53 per cent of respondents said they approved of her performance as premier so far, compared to 28 per cent who disapproved.
That put her in third place among Canadian premiers for approval ratings — a contrast to former premier Blaine Higgs, who frequently was near the bottom of the Angus Reid rankings.
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