Thorold City Council has decided not to pursue an investigation into the financials of the Canada Games Park.
It was Councillor Jim Handley who brought forward a motion during last night’s city council meeting, to seek an external legal opinion regarding the financials of the Canada Games Park, as well as the consortium agreement.
Constructed for last year’s Canada Summer Games, the $102.7-million sports facility has long been a polarizing topic in Thorold.
To build the Canada Games facility, a consortium agreement was drafted up between the four partners: Brock University, Thorold, St. Catharines and the Niagara Region. In the agreement, the four parties are commonly referred to as the co-tenants, while Brock University is also referred to as the landowner. The terminology has led to some confusion as to Thorold's actual stake in the arena.
"Councillor [Carmen] DeRose put forward a motion in regards to seeking the financials from the consortium agreement,” Handley told his fellow councillors last night. “It is my understanding that since then no such information has been provided. It’s been eight months. I think it’s due time we get legal assistance in addressing council’s and citizens' concerns.”
Councillor DeRose said that, because of the lack of information, he has filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the Region, to try and obtain more financial information.
The City’s Director of Finance Maria Mauro told councillors she can’t share all the financials because of the consortium agreement.
“I am bound by what the consortium partners indicate can be shared,” she explained. “At this point I can only share the audited financial statements and no more. A FOI request is the way to go.”
Councillor Anthony Longo also has some questions he would still like to see answered.
“I think it would be well spent money to bring this in the public light and be open and transparent and show people what was decided in the backroom,” he said.
The rising costs of unused ice time have Councillor Longo seriously worried.
“What I find troubling is that there is a cost of unused ice time at $10,000 in April,” he said. “We passed $25,000 monthly unused ice time cheques on. As far as I’m concerned that’s obscene.”
Councillor Longo also expressed disappointment because his earlier proposal, to buy time at the running track of the arena, will not move forward.
“I’ve been told that’s not going to happen because others have made the decision that there are other groups who are consortium members that have preferential treatment over the City of Thorold,” he said. "We spend $850,000 this year for the luxury to rent facility space, yet we can't even rent it. I think we need to understand what we have."
But other Councillors want to move on from the issue.
“The City of Thorold signed the agreement under the recommendation of two of Ontario’s top municipal lawyers working for us,” said Councillor Tim O’Hare. “Why would we want to spend tax payers' money on more lawyers only to realize that the pursuit was unnecessary and in fact wasteful?”
Councillor O'Hare pointed to the city's website which has all the documents pertaining to the consortium agreement available.
Councillor Nella Dekker also wants to put the issue to bed.
“I almost feel like I’m continually being bullied and harassed when it comes to the Canada Summer Games centre,” she told her fellow council members. “I’m tired of this constantly coming up. Because we voted for it, we’re being punished.”
Another question that was bandied about during the discussion last night was whether or not the city owns part of the facility or not.
“I know that we did get an opinion that was circulated,” said Mauro, in response. “From my recollection, I don’t know what the exact term was but it was not ownership.”
When it came to a recorded vote, Handley’s motion to seek legal counsel was defeated 5-4.
Councillors Longo, Henry D’Angela, DeRose, and Handley voted for, and Councillors O’Hare, Dekker, Ken Sentance, Mike De Divitiis, and Mayor Terry Ugulini voted against.
In spite of the defeat, Councillor Handley is adamant the fight is not over.
“We’ll go through the FOI act and get the answers citizens want,” he said. “If that is what needs to be done, then that’s what we’ll do.”
