The city of North Bay is moving forward with a variety of concepts for a new arena after news today that the city and Canadore were ending plans to do a joint venture.
See: Canadore and City go different ways on Sports Facility project
In a news release this morning, councillor Mark King says although there is no commitment on where and when the facility will be built, the City has confirmed it will now be leading its own process to establish a new arena for North Bay.
"After a lengthy process, the City and Canadore College have decided that the plan to partner on a community multi-use recreational facility (MURF) and ice pads is not feasible.
“Although a shared rec facility with Canadore would have been a great partnership opportunity, we understand that it needs to be mutually beneficial for all parties involved,” said King, chair of the City’s Community Services Committee.
“The City remains committed to moving forward and creating a plan that outlines how we will replace the aging West Ferris Arena.”
The City will now formally begin the process of identifying the type of facility required, the appropriate location, and the capital costs associated with building the facility. Included in this process will be public consultation to confirm that needs identified in the 2013 MURF study are still current.
“This outreach will build on the work that has been done in the past and will look at the big picture,” said King. “Recreational amenities are important for our community when looking to attract and retain businesses, residents, and sports tourism events to our region. We need to take all factors into account, such as immediate and future needs of our community before we move forward.”
The release says the City hopes to have a report to Council early in the new year outlining the plan and potential options.
