The provincial men’s curling championship is coming to town, but should we as taxpayers really be paying for it? That depends what we get out of it.
It took several rounds of discussion but Westlock County finally agreed to pony up $6,000 for the Boston Pizza Cup, the provincial men’s curling championship at the Rotary Spirit Centre this February.
The Town of Westlock has already committed $11,000 for ice rentals, the same amount the county turned down for a more cautious figure, perhaps keeping in mind others who might come forward with outstretched hands.
The Boston Pizza Cup is a nationally-televised event that will earn the winning team a spot at the Tim Hortons Brier in Newfoundland and a chance to qualify for the Olympics.
The Rotary Spirit Centre, with additional bench seating, could fit over 1,000 people — surely a number that could be easily achieved with town residents alone, not to mention each team’s families and supporters. Meanwhile, viewers across Canada will hear about this place called Westlock, and it is a great opportunity for the region to show itself off and attract newcomers who spend will their cash at local hotels, restaurants and stores.
What’s that worth? We suggest far more than the $17,000 coming from local municipal coffers.
The championship may only run for five days, but the economic ripple effect can last much longer if the community plays its cards right.
While the spinoffs could outweigh the initial expenses, it’s fair to say that some people are against spending their hard-earned tax dollars on sporting events and arenas, which are often privately owned and for profit.
You don’t have to look far to recall Roger’s Arena in Edmonton, the $600 million facility owned by the Katz Group that was on the receiving end of a $313 million contribution from the City of Edmonton. Time will tell whether the city’s downtown will benefit from the behemoth sporting arena, or empty out wallets with the community revitalization levy.
In our neighbourhood, the Westlock Curling Club, a volunteer-run group, is organizing and hosting the event. When it comes to economic development, the county and the town are taking a chance and for the relatively small investment of $17K, we think it’s worth the risk.
