Arenas, Budgets and Pools! Oh My!

Subject: Arenas, Budgets and Pools! Oh My!

From: M Limar

Date: 23 Mar 2015

“That’s a pie crust promise. Easily made, easily broken,” said Mary Poppins. The arena debate in St. Catharines lends itself to that quote. I am referring to the promise of closing down the aging and crumbling Gatorade Garden City Complex. The proposed budget for 2015 was recently released. The city of St. Catharines is looking at a 3.99 percent increase which includes harsh cuts across the board. Do not worry, the decaying, vermin-infested, albeit beloved, Gatorade Garden City Jack Gatecliff Rex Stimers Arena, which costs you and me nearly $1,000,000 per year to operate, will remain open. City council instead will close five outdoor pools, the Canal Centre and Museum, the Fairview Golf Course and cancel vital repairs and improvements across the city. For the record, St. Catharines with a population of about 132,000 people has an ice pad ratio of one ice pad per 630 users. That’s well above the average community, which has one ice pad per 700 or 800 users.

Prior to the building of the Seymour-Hannah Four-plex in 2005, the Garden City had five arenas; Burgoyne, Haig Bowl, two rinks housed in Gatorade Garden City Complex and the Merritton Arena. Many will argue the Merritton Arena is its own entity because it was paid for and built by the Merritton Lions Club before the amalgamation in 1961. That may be true, however, the town of Merritton is now a neighbourhood of the City of St. Catharines and therefore all facilities are available to all citizens. That my friends is a whole other story.

Before the four-plex was built in western St. Catharines, there were many kids, teens and adults participating in various skate-related activities. St. Catharines has always been a proud hockey town with various levels of hockey being played across the city. However, the arenas and ice rinks were continuing to show their age, all of the arenas were now decades old, with the Jack Gatecliff being the oldest. The building is tired, cramped, filthy and vermin-infested.

The special interest groups, mainly the various hockey organizations, asked the council to invest in new facilities. Slowly, very slowly, city council started to entertain the idea. It took years before the four-plex was finally opened in 2005. There was a catch, however. The city stipulated that an existing, crumbling, aging arena, or two, had to be closed down in order to accommodate the expense of the brand-spanking shiny and new four-plex arena with a spectator rink. This is where all the special interests groups did their best impressions of a two-faced politician. Nod, smile and agree to anything. As soon as the four-plex opened and the city started deliberating and planning on closing the Gatorade Garden City Complex, the special user groups turned right around and cried “NO!” in a unanimous chorus. Cue Ned Flanders' wife, Maude, “Won’t someone think of the children!”

Here lies the root of the eternal battle of the arenas. The City has gone from five -alright, for arguments sake, we won’t include the Merritton arena - four arenas to eight, and all the hockey players, ringette players, figure skaters and their handlers cry there is not enough ice time for everyone! Goodness gracious, great pucks of fire! Closing two crumbling arenas would still leave the hockey fiends with two extra arenas. Obviously math means nothing to the ice-craving crowd; more evidence of this to follow. The Garden City arena remained open, as did all the other aging, crumbling money-sucking arenas. And the hockey players and the ringette players and the figure skaters were happy. The taxpayers weren’t.

Time went on and an incredible opportunity presented itself to the hockey-loving city. An OHL team wanted to move to our fair city, thus breathing new life into the slow-burning fire that is the arena debate. The Ice Dogs played their first season at the Jack Gatecliff arena in 2007. The Ice Dogs were soon renamed to the Niagara Ice Dogs and signed a five-year contract to play out of the oldest and smallest arena in the CHL.

“Owner Bill Burke has committed to tiny Jack Gatecliff Arena for five years, but wants a new 5,000-seat home for his Ontario Hockey League team eventually.” The St. Catharines Standard, Feb.27, 2008.

A Brief History of the Garden City Arena

The ice surface at the Jack measures 190 feet by 85 feet, with a maximum capacity of 3,145 fans, including standing room. The Niagara Ice Dogs moved from Mississauga and a posh Hershey Centre to a 70-year-old, aging and cramped building, outfitted with original wooden stairs and classic 1930s wooden folding benches.

The Garden City Arena was built in 1938 at 8 Gale Crescent. It is the oldest arena in Ontario. It is a simple building inside and out. No special care was taken to create an architectural marvel. Essentially, it was a glorified barn where kids of all ages could skate and play the country’s favorite game. As the CHL arena guide states:

“An ancient building unexpectedly drafted back into service hosting the OHL instead of enjoying a quiet retirement. The old building flaws show through in too many places to rate it more highly on the list, and a new arena is crucial for the long-term survival of the IceDogs on the Niagara peninsula.”

For a complete report card, visit this link:

http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/number18.htm

The Gatorade Garden City Complex has had many names throughout its history. From 1938 to 1996, the arena was known as The Garden City Arena. In 1996, the arena and the neighbouring Rex Stimers arenas were joined under one roof. At this time The Garden City Arena adopted a new name after a local sports writer; Jack Gatecliff. In 2007, the two arenas were renamed once more to The Gatorade Garden City Complex when the naming rights were sold. Depending on the age of the person you are speaking to, the arena will be referred to by its correct name; forever confusing youngsters and visitors alike. Although the name has changed, not much else has.

The Ice Dogs Are Coming!

In 2007, the Ice Dogs arrived and moved into their new, albeit old, home. By February 2008, the St. Catharines Standard was printing articles about Bill Burke’s, the owner of the Ice Dogs, need for a proper facility for his OHL team. Can you blame him? In the same Feb. 27, 2008 article, former mayor, Brian McMullen, and former city councillors, Jeff Burch and Andy Gill, “met with a group of local private investors interested in building a new ‘spectator facility’ for the Niagara IceDogs.”

Bill Burke’s request for a new facility for his OHL team wasn’t unreasonable. It also couldn’t have come at a better time. City council was handed an opportunity to once again attempt to close the decaying, money-sucking Gatorade Garden City Complex, or is it the Garden City Arena or Jack Gatecliff? Perhaps this is the real reason nothing can be achieved, no one actually knows which arena they are referring to.

Time For Change

George Bernard Shaw said: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

With St. Catharines being one of the largest aging populations in the province, change is a slow, almost a backward-moving process. On April 8, 2008, The Standard printed an article referring to Todd Brown, from Montieth Browning Planning Consultants, regarding a recreational road map for the city. In the article, Mr. Brown makes bold suggestions for St. Catharines, which the majority of city council agrees with, as do most residents. Mr. Brown was quoted saying, “There were a fair number of hours not used at your ice pads," he said during a presentation to city council of a new Recreation Facility Master Plan.”

Although St. Catharines is often referred to as a “hockey town”, there are plenty of folks that have other interests. The city is severely behind on accommodating other recreational interests. The recreation consultant highlighted the city’s shortfalls in that April 8, 2008 article: “The city's top priorities should be replacing the aging West Park indoor pool, developing trails and looking at an arena strategy, a consultant told council.” Also mentioned in the article: “Eight additional soccer fields, one more skateboard park” are needed. Mr. Brown continued, “When the four-pad was built it pulled a lot of people out of older facilities, he said. With 5,600 participants in 2006 - a number expected to remain stable - St. Catharines has one ice pad for every 700 participants, he said.”

One ice pad for every 700 participants. That figure has changed since then. In an updated article from Feb. 12, 2015, in The Standard, that number dropped to 630. St. Catharines has one ice pad for every 630 participants, that’s excluding the Haig Bowl arena. In case you were wondering, other much larger municipalities typically rate at one ice pad per 700 or 800 participants. Yet, we don’t have enough ice time? “Won’t someone think of the children!” Simmer down, Maude.

In the same April 8, 2008, Standard article, Mr. Brown made suggestions for a more inclusive recreational plan, while Kim Bauer, chairperson of the Arena Partners Committee is pulling a Maude Flanders. The article refers to Mr. Bauer claiming setbacks similar to the time prior to the building of the Seymour-Hannah four-plex. The article says “Those (setbacks) included children forced to practice hockey too early in the morning and adults playing too late at night.” Hockey is synonymous with early morning. After speaking with local residents, the consensus is, they remember heading to the arena at the ungodly hour of 5:30 in the morning. The ideal time was 6:30, an extra bit of sleep before hitting the ice. If you are passionate about your hobby or possible career in the greatest game of all time, are you going to gripe about an early start?

With the Seymour-Hannah four-plex opening, there was little pressure to head to the ice rink at the crack of dawn. The fact is users perception of what “prime time” is, has changed. There are so many prime time hours available, users have the option to be picky. Hockey players of all ages are refusing to get up a bit earlier to lace up. Basically we are spreading the same number of users over more facilities. This is confirmed by a Feb. 12, 2015, Standard article, only “23% of St.Catharines households (were) participating in hockey and figure skating in 2014. That is a decrease from 31% in 2006.” Participation is down, we have double the arenas and we don’t have enough ice time.

History In The Making

“St. Catharines - It's smaller and cheaper than first proposed, but St. Catharines is building a new spectator facility downtown.

In a 9-3 vote, city councillors agreed Monday night to build a replacement for Jack Gatecliff Arena - and the preferred location is the low-level parking lot.

To read the full article, visit this link: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2011/12/05/council-says-yes-to-new-ar...

It took three years to get to this point. Four years later, the Gatorade Garden City Complex is still open. How does this keep happening? To be fair, the Haig Bowl was finally decommissioned in 2013. It was like pulling teeth to have this leaky-roof facility closed.

“St. Andrew's Coun. Andrew Gill led the efforts Monday night to close the aging central St. Catharines facility, saying the city could save half a million dollars or more by closing it immediately.” The Standard, June 3, 2008.

The Haig Bowl is at least half the age of the Garden City, err, Jack Gatecliff ... err, you get the idea. Just imagine what costly improvements are needed at the Gatorade Garden City Arena.

Arena Partners Committee

Sometime in 2008, the Ice Users Committee was formed, later renamed to Arena Partners Committee, or the APC. The committee consisted of community members, particularly executives from various hockey, ringette and figure skating clubs, as well as city councillors. Although the committee was formed in 2008, minutes from meetings available on the city’s website only go back to 2011. Still, many months’ worth of minutes is missing. After reading and rereading all those minutes, one thing is clear: the APC is reluctant to actually do anything constructive.

APC minutes: https://stcatharines.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=95

Over the course of four years, the APC is unable to move forward with any kind of decisions. Constant deferrals, endless debates whether the Merritton Arena should or shouldn’t be included in the Arena Strategy. The endless search for details pertaining to the lease agreement between the city and Merritton arena. Month after month, year after year, the APC has very little to show for anything resembling action. Except one thing: stalling any real progress in the city regarding the closure of the Gatorade Garden City Complex.

What’s A Budget Got To Do With It?

For over a decade now, the city has struggled to make and follow through on a decision regarding the closure of the Gatorade Garden City Complex. When you look up the budgets for the past four or five years you can clearly see the immense expense that comes with operating the aging arena. This does not include the spontaneous repairs that pop up. Council has made it clear over the years, with the opening of a new spectator facility; the Gatorade Garden City Complex has to go.

“...the city has known for years that the construction of the four-pad would lead to excess ice capacity. Meanwhile, there's a shortage of 12 soccer fields in the city” states a June 3, 2008, Standard article.

St. George's Coun. Greg Washuta agreed. "There's no question in my mind, we have a surplus of ice time," Washuta said, recalling earlier council four-pad debates.

What’s more interesting is, others agree: “Acting parks and recreation director Jim Benson said all of the city's ice surfaces have time available, largely because the opening of the four-pad has changed people's definition of ‘prime-time’ ice. Groups are no longer as willing to rent early morning ice, he said.”

Round and round we go. This has been the status quo. By December 2008, it seemed the city was divided again. Many citizens understood there is no sense in putting more money into an old building. We can all appreciate the older generation’s need to preserve and repair, instead of throwing away. Waste not, want not. At some point, those socks you’ve darned a dozen times, cannot be darned any more. It is time for a new pair of socks. It is time to close the Gatorade Garden City Complex. This does not mean we are turning our backs on hockey or our rich history. It means we are moving forward, investing in future generations. It is like moving from your first home to your dream home. It is moving up from your first car you bought for $600 to a reliable, fuel-efficient vehicle with airbags.

The city council promised the people of this fine city to transfer the funds, normally spent on the operation of the Gatorade Garden City Complex, to the operation of the new spectator facility, the Meridian Centre. The people were happy to transfer the near million dollars spent annually to the new and improved facility.

In fact, when push came to shove, only three councillors kept their promise. “Councillors Jeff Burch, Mark Elliott and Jennie Stevens voted in favour of closing the Garden City Complex in June because that's what council promised it would do when it decided to build The Meridian Centre as a replacement for The Jack, they said.”

“Voting in favour of the closure delay, which will cost the average taxpayer an extra $3.50 this year, were councillors Bill Phillips, Peter Secord, Mat Siscoe, Bruce Williamson, Matt Harris, Laura Ip, Joe Kushner and Mayor Brian McMullan. Coun. Dawn Dodge was absent.” The Standard, Feb. 25, 2014

During that same council meeting, Steve Cook Chair of the St. Catharines Business council and a director with GNCC addressed council with a report. Mr. Cook and GNCC CEO Walter Sendzik (yes, your current Mayor) urged council to “close Jack Gatecliff and Rex Stimers arenas,” “saying it was sound financial management.” The Standard, Feb. 25, 2014.

Let that sink in for a moment. Walter Sendzik, former CEO of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce approved and signed a report to council, strongly suggesting the closure of the Gatorade Garden City Complex.

You can find the report here: http://www.greaterniagarachamber.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=s0MVUoZxf...

During his election campaign in 2014, Walter Sendzik vehemently denied his involvement in the report. Continually insisting the views and opinions expressed in the damning report were those of the GNCC, not his. Walter Sendzik was the CEO of the GNCC at the time, he signed off on all reports. He was the GNCC. Perhaps no one explained the responsibilities associated with the position prior to Mr. Sendzik accepting the role of CEO.

2015 Budget

On March 23, 2015, city council will discuss the proposed budget for 2015. The city of St. Catharines needs to make some cuts. Excellent! Another opportunity for the council to do the right thing - close the Gatorade Garden City Complex, which the previous budget committee voted to do. Nope. On the chopping block are outdoor pools, the Canal Centre and Museum at Lock 3, and the Fairview Golf Course. While we’re at it, let’s not forget to mention Mayor Walter Sendzik has recently voted in favour of giving himself a pay raise to the tune of 2.93%. Everyone must tighten their belts. Children and their families are welcome to dive, belly flop and cannon ball into the canal this summer, because;

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

George Orwell, Animal Farm

According to the Ad Hoc Budget Committee, closing the outdoor pools at Burgoyne, Lancaster and Arthur St. will result in savings of $228,000 according to the Standard article on March 9, 2015. Closing the arena will save anywhere between $765,000 and a million dollars. The obvious choice is to close the outdoor pools. This is confusing considering: “Mayor Walter Sendzik has made it a priority to review the city’s assets, with an eye toward unloading those that aren’t judged essential to its operations. That, too, could reduce city expenditures in coming years.” The Standard, Jan. 21, 2015.

Remember the presentation made to the council by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce? Steve Cook and Walter Sendzik said to close the Gatorade Garden City Complex to save the city money.

Close the Gatorade Garden City Complex and keep the pools open.

Residents are also calling for the closure of the decaying Gatorade Garden City Complex. Some comments made by residents regarding a budget article in the Standard on March 2, 2015 article:

Dennicrain •

The really tough thing for this council, as well as the previous council is to cut the item they all know will solve a great deal of the problem. Close the Gatecliff complex and sell the property. The property will continue to need repairs, it’s been condemned by council and budget committees for a number of years but to make the big decision is not in this council's makeup.

Frank Moss •

Siscoe voted against every cost control measure suggested for the last 4 years, Sendzik promised

Millions in spending to get elected. Both opposed saving $1m a year plus millions in capital costs by closing surplus Garden City Arena complex. Now they blame past councils because they can't manage a budget. This is going to be painful to watch

Friendly •

all of these campaign promises and now they're flip flopping like fish out of water. why not close the garden city complex? i thought that was part of the deal for the meridian centre

“A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down,” sang Mary Poppins. Well, we’re going to need a lot of sugar folks. Over the year’s councillors, budget committees, directors, CEOs, consultants and taxpayers have been asking for the one thing; to close the Gatorade Garden City Complex. It is time city council listened and delivered.

The St. Catharines Standard Links

Feb. 27, 2008

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2008/02/27/plan-for-arena-now-councillor

April 8, 2008

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2008/04/08/arena-closing-suggestion-i...

June 3, 2008

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2008/06/03/haig-bowls-fate-still-up-i...

December 6, 2011

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2011/12/05/council-says-yes-to-new-ar...

Feb. 25, 2014

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2014/02/25/st-catharines-arenas-get-t...

Jan. 21, 2015