Town of Barrhead has elected to move forward with a brand new aquatic centre after passing a motion at their Town Council meeting on Tuesday, September 9.
Town Council discussed the pool situation and the County of Barrhead’s latest letter at the meeting. During the discussion, each Councillor shard their thoughts on the current situation, including Mayor Gerry St. Pierre, who read from a prepared statement
“This is my personal opinion but the County Council’s response merely confirms what I have believed all along. Through constant procrastination and a refusal to make firm and fair commitments over the past four years they are and have never been sincere in their desire to see a new aquatic centre in Barrhead. At the very most, they would reluctantly support the construction of a cheap version of a new building,” said St. Pierre. “I firmly believe that if everybody pays their fair share, the three municipal partners and the users, we could afford a new aquatic centre. I am absolutely certain that we cannot afford not to provide this and other appropriate recreational services for our community. It is finally the time for us to step up to the plate, without further delay, proceed with building the right facility for this community and building it right in the most efficient way possible. We must request the County of Barrhead release the $5 million that the ratepayers have committed for this project. With the project estimated to take two years, we have the better part, one way or another, to hammer out an agreement with regards to operational funding for all jointly used facilities.”
After St. Pierre read his statement, Councillor Penny made a motion that Council direct administration to continue the process to plan and build an new aquatic centre for the community without delay in the most efficient way possible and a letter be sent to the County of Barrhead requesting the release of the $5 million for the capital costs of the new pool. The motion was carried by a vote of 5-1, with Councillor Ty Assaf being opposed.
St. Pierre discussed the fact that the Town is still requesting the County’s $5 million towards the capital cost of the project.
“We still need the County’s help because we will still need their $5 million but we will proceed to build it as our own project and build it, with what we believe, is the right facility for the town. We need their financial assistance but let us build it the way we feel is right,” said St. Pierre.
St. Pierre then addressed the concern that the County may not release the $5 million.
“They could still hold back on giving us the $5 million but could you imagine the repercussions from the ratepayers. If they do hold the money back, we don’t know if the pool will die. We better not even speculate on that,” he said. “As far as I am concerned (the County doesn’t have the right to withdraw their money) but I cannot predict what the County Council will do. They have thrown too many loopholes and delays in this process all along. They stymied us so many times with procrastination that I can’t predict what they are going to do but as far as I am concerned their ratepayers have agreed to provide $5 million. We will accept the $5 million and make it work somehow.”
Don Smith, longtime Town Councillor, shared his thoughts on the latest pool decision.
“If we don’t get the $5 million from the County, the pool will die … absolutely. If we do get the $5 million, we could possibly afford the operating expenses for the new aquatic centre. Based on the 2013 operating costs of the old pool, we estimate an of $125,000 to $200,000 in operating costs for the new aquatic centre. We could certainly afford it if we defer other projects, which is unfortunate,” Smith said. “The best case scenario is the County gives us 40 per cent of the net operating costs. On the other hand, if we don’t get the County’s money, we still have the funds to operate the pool if the County does not come on board. It will be a challenge but it is doable. There is no possible way the Town of Barrhead can come up with $12.5 million for the capital costs of the pool. We will be doing a borrowing bylaw on the $5 to $7 million but without the County’s contribution of $5 million there is absolutely no way we can do it.”
Bill Lee, Reeve for the County of Barrhead, shared his thoughts on the Town’s latest pool proposal.
“We have not received a letter from the Town requesting the release of the $5 million for the capital cost of the pool but my question is, is this supposed to be carte blanche where we just hand over the money and they do as they will. Our residents want a say in this. If the Town is throwing the money away, our residents will want a say in this project,” said Lee. “Without us seeing some form of cost analysis or business plan, something to indicate how that money will be used and if it is efficiently used, I think we would be quite hesitant to do something like that (hand over $5 million).”
Lee admitted that he is very frustrated by the Town’s motion regarding the pool situation.
“My frustration level is very high because they are making us out to be the bad guys in all of this and we have been at the (negotiating) table all along. They don’t seem to know how negotiations take place. We were at the table, negotiating in good faith and when we received that ultimatum (in early July) that was a real surprise because I thought we were in negotiations. We offered the capital and we offered what we could on the maintenance side of things, which gave them twice as much money as they are currently getting for the pool. Everything we have worked towards is all gone now,” Lee said. “The ultimatum was the big thing because when you are in negotiations we are supposed to work together to find some common ground. If we are nowhere near as close as they want us to be, they just threw their hands in the air and gave us the ultimatum.”
Lee said there are now more questions than answers after the Town’s latest motion.
“I question where the Town will get the $7 million needed to build the new aquatic centre. We are a poor municipality. When you take our population and our assessed value, we are the third poorest in the province out of 64 rural municipalities. We are not well off. We rank 16 when you just look at our assessed value. We have a high population and a low equalized assessment so on a per capita basis we don’t have the money,” he said. “We can only tax so much out of our people and I don’t think the Town is any different. There is not enough money in this community to build a Taj Mahal type swimming pool.”
St Pierre admitted that he was pleased with Council’s decision and said the motion was not a difficult one to make.
“We listened to our ratepayers and we listened to the ratepayers of the County. They are more vocal with us than our own citizens. They made it very clear to us that we have to get this thing built. We are taking a risk. I think I said something a few months ago. There is a risk in doing something and a risk in doing nothing. I would rather take the risk and do something. That is exactly what we are going to do,” he said. “I am excited but nervous because we don’t know the next step. We want to get this project done and it is putting a lot of pressure on Town administration to get all the ducks in a row. I am very pleased with Council’s decision and I am really very pleased with my Council.”
Lee shared his final thoughts on the Town’s latest request to the County of Barrhead.
“It is a shame that it has come to this. Who is losing? The people that we serve. They are the ones that are losing on this thing,” Lee said.
