GORE BAY—The Town of Gore Bay council has given its approval for neighbouring municipalities to be approached about sharing in the operating costs of the town arena on an annual basis.
Gore Bay Mayor Ron Lane told council at its regular meeting last week that the town general government committee has recommended to council to support approaching all Western Manitoulin municipalities, whose taxpayers all utilize the arena, in the operating costs on an annual basis.
At a recent general government committee meeting Town Manager Harry Schlange advised that the town invested $90,850 in operating costs to run the arena in the past year. It was explained that minor hockey, adult hockey and public skating use is by residents across all Western Manitoulin. The municipalities work extremely well together on shared services elsewhere such as the airport, library, cemetery, transfer station and fire department.
The committee recommended to council that the mayor and town manager start discussions with the other three municipalities on Western Manitoulin on the possibility of designating the arena as a shared service.
“Right now, we are paying almost the full costs of operating the arena,” said Mayor Lane. He pointed out for the past couple of years the neighbouring municipalities have made donations toward the arena, and he pointed out the town invested over $90,000 toward operating the arena in the past year, which does not include capital costs with repairs.
It was also noted by Mr. Schlange that the municipalities share in the cost and services of the Provincial Offences Act board, cemetery, Gore Bay-Western Manitoulin Airport, transfer station and joint fire department services.
The Gore Bay Arena, “is an amenity that all of Western Manitoulin uses,” said Mr. Schlange. He said there is also an opportunity to work with the provincial government which has announced significant funding is available for recreation and sports facilities.
“Harry and I talked about first sending a letter to the municipalities, requesting a meeting and outlining the costs at the arena and either late this month or in May meeting with our neighbouring municipalities to discuss this,” said Mayor Lane.
Councilor Rob Dearing explained that in his 15-year involvement in minor hockey through the Western Manitoulin and Manitoulin Minor Hockey Associations, “we had kids playing here in Gore Bay from areas around the Cup and Saucer Trail, Spring Bay, and all of Western Manitoulin Island. Now kids can go wherever (community) they want to play. It shouldn’t be a hard sell to get them (neighbouring municipalities) to consider sharing in the costs.”
Council passed a motion in support of the town manager and mayor approaching all Western Manitoulin municipalities to consider the Gore Bay Memorial Arena as a shared service.
