City asking for input on proposed Valley sports complex

The City of Greater Sudbury is taking the first step in gathering public input for a proposed sports complex in Hanmer.

The plan, which already has preliminary approval from city council, is to build a centre on municipal land next to the Howard Armstrong community centre. The proposed centre could house two ice pads, a running track, and increased seating and dressing room space.

A budget and timeline have not been formalized yet, but the city is hoping a series of open houses and an online survey will allow the public to express any concerns or support with the project going forward.

Ward 6 Councillor René Lapierre told CBC News he was impressed with the turnout at a weekend input session. He estimates between 40-50 people voiced their opinion on the project.

Lapierre said that most people were ready for a new area, even if it meant losing some of the green space and wooded trails at the proposed location. He said watching several arenas in the Valley begin to decline is preparing them for something new.

"They're at the tipping point where it's like having a car." Lapierre said. "At some point we have to decide-- do you put money into an old car to make it last for another five years, or do you buy a new car that will last you another 10 to 15 years?"

Repairs to arenas in Val Caron and Capreol could cost close to $12 million to bring up to provincial standards, he said, where a new facility could be around $25 million.

Twin pad arenas also tend to be more cost-effective, he added.

"One of the biggest recommendations [from consultants] to maximize the efficiency of arenas is you put two pads in one building wherever you can," Lapierre said. "Because then you're maximizing the efficiency of first of all the build, and then you have one compressor for both ice pads, one Zamboni for both ice pads and so on and so forth."

Countryside Arena in the city's south end was built with twin pads 15 years ago.

"So and we did that at Countryside and now it is probably the only ice pads that we have that are at a break even point," he said.

Much of the pushback against the new complex comes from neighbours who use some of the trails and wooded area that could be bulldozed to build the arena, he added.

"On social media, the residents in the area don't want us touching the green space that's there because right now it's a 28-acre land with some unofficial trails that are out there that have been maintained by a group of volunteers."

The complex and its required parking would take up about 7 acres of that land, Lapierre said.

"What we're proposing and what the architects proposed is we could actually enhance those trails to make them better, and actually make them hard packed."

"Let's put the right stuff down and make them fully accessible, so that now instead of just being a wooded area you actually have a beautiful wooded area...that's fully accessible for people in wheelchairs or disabilities or walkers or anything else that require assistance."

The city is still accepting feedback on its proposal to build the sports complex. 

People have until April 23 to voice their ideas.