‘Sorry folks’: Mayor loses vote on reconsidering motion to find alternatives for Aquatic Centre closure

Mayor Simon Yu says since that vote, “there has been significant community concern about the planned two-year closure of the facility under the current City strategy.” Also noted in his report to Council, Yu says that using Section 131 is “being exercised not to predetermine an outcome, but to consider new information and updated public input.” Yu said during Monday’s meeting he would like to see staff work to try and reduce the closure from two years to three or four months. “I think we owe it to the public”, Yu noted.

Director of Finance and IT Services, Kris Dalio, corrected the Mayor’s remark that the project would cost $43 million, saying that the actual cost of the project is $37 million.

Councillor Ron Polillo strongly stated that Mayor Yu brought forward no new information, and that this debate had already been discussed multiple times, and asked that the question be called to avoid another long discussion, like was had at the November 3 council meeting. That was defeated, and Yu retorted to Polillo that he indeed had brought forward new information to which Polillo responded “You have no new information.” Councillor Trudy Klassen went on to state during her remarks, that the City didn’t do its “due diligence” when budgeting this project. She also said that public consultation regarding the closure, “fell below standards”.

Director of Civic Facilities and Events Andy Beesley says that work on the aquatic centre is “already underway”, and that the City may need to look at legal options if “we go back on this.” Beesley also noted that the project could have been split up, but “costs will rise and will result in more days of closure.”

Councillor Cori Ramsay was firm in her comments to her colleagues saying that “this is a good price tag for a good build”. Ramsay said it was Council’s responsibility to owe the taxpayers “financial stability.” Ramsay also commented on Klassen’s comments, saying “it’s not fair to staff to say they didn’t do their due diligence.”

Even though I’ve debated this four times, here I go again. It is unrealistic to build a new pool. This work has been informed, this has been over a decade in the making.” said Councillor Cori Ramsay on debating the closure of the Aquatic Centre.

Councillor Susan Scott said that the project is “never going to cost less in time and money.” Scott also said that the City “needs to move forward, we need to stop reconsidering this.” Councillor Kyle Sampson echoed Ramsay’s and Scott’s comments, saying, “I don’t see what a new report is going to add.”

When the question was called, the motion put forward by the Mayor, was defeated by a vote of 6-3. Councillors Ramsay, Polillo, Scott, Frizzell, Bennett and Sampson voted AGAINST, Mayor Yu and Councillors Skakun and Klassen voted in FAVOUR.

After nearly an hour of discussion, the Mayor simply closed the debate by simply saying, “Sorry folks.”

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Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

‘Sorry folks’: Mayor loses vote on reconsidering motion to find alternatives for Aquatic Centre closure

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