Thunder Bay event centre to cost $43M, city says

The amount the city of Thunder Bay would pay for a new event centre was revealed at an open house Wednesday night.

About 200 people gathered to learn the city would pay up to $43 million to pay for the facility. More than half of the money would come from a reserve fund, while another $15 million could come from a debenture.

Thunder Bay resident Tanner Harris said the city should build the event centre now.

"Down the road, it's not going to be $43 million; it's going to be $80 million. So, why are we waiting and waiting and waiting when it's going to keep escalating?”

If the city receives roughly $70 million in provincial and federal funding, officials say it will aim to have the event centre completed in about three years.

City manager Tim Commisso said he figures the event centre is a “manageable project.”

$3.5M already spent on planning

But resident Real Bouchard said he wants to know the effect on his tax bill.

"I don't think I'm looking at it as an overall cost. Certainly, I want to see how it affects me personally, and the taxes that I do pay."

The answer? It will cost taxpayers about $12 per year, for every $100,000 in assessment.

Harris said he feels that's a good value. He also said the argument that not all taxpayers will use the event centre is unfair.

"I'm not going to use the 55-Plus Centre for another 30 years. Why should my taxes go to that? So … you can go tit-for-tat, really, with that," said Harris.

The city has already spent about $3.5 million on planning for the project, much of which came from from FedNor grants and the province.

The city wants to have contracts in place with builders and architects by the end of March.

If all goes according to the current plan, the event centre would open in about three years.