CBRM considering addition to Centre 200 arena for court sports

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is not getting a new central library any time soon, but council is looking into the possibility of expanding the Centre 200 arena in Sydney to add a building for court sports.

Councillors voted 10-3 Tuesday in favour of conducting a feasibility study on the proposal, with those opposed citing the suspended library proposal as one reason.

Recreation director Bill Murphy said a feasibility study is needed to determine the size of the proposed building, which sports should go in it, and what it might cost to build.

"We really require a lot of background information and that's what this recommendation is suggesting, to consult the community, gather the information, and then look at possible funding alternatives," he said.

CBRM's share of that study would be $30,000, and it would only go ahead if other levels of government contribute to the cost, Murphy said.

Coun. Eldon MacDonald voted in favour, saying he hopes funding from other governments will be available to build a new library and an expansion at Centre 200.

"I believe both of those projects are valuable to our communities," he said.

Councillors Darren Bruckschwaiger and Steve Parsons said the municipality spent years and thousands of dollars studying a proposed new library only to decide against funding a design and build study earlier this year.

They voted against funding the Centre 200 feasibility study, along with Coun. Lorne Green.

More interest in funding sports building

Mayor Amanda McDougall said the library project is not dead, but the federal and provincial governments are not as interested in funding a library as they are a sports building.

"When you have folks come to the table and say, 'OK, let's move forward with it' from the other levels of government, it's much easier to proceed," she said.

The mayor said CBRM has needed an indoor recreational facility for years.

Council shut down the artificial ice plant at the Centennial Arena and it ended up hosting a large number of youths looking to play basketball.

However, the former rink was never designed for other sports and it was too cold, McDougall said.

Vision of a 'true civic centre'

That's one reason a central, indoor court sports facility is needed that could host everything from basketball to pickleball.

"I look to places like Truro, for example, and the wonderful, wonderful complex that they have there that encompasses ice, court, community space, all sorts of things like a true civic centre, and that's the vision here," McDougall said.

The feasibility study is expected to be done by July, which is the deadline for one set of federal funding applications.