Ward 25 & 34 candidates talk Civitan arena
Question:
Plans to replace the aging Civitan Arena with a multi-pad facility have for years been plagued with setbacks, complications and vague proposals. If elected, how would you move the project forward in a productive and timely manner?
[url=https://streeter.ca/tag-ward-25.html]Ward 25[/url]:
[attach]2351[/attach][url=https://streeter.ca/joanne-dickins-joins-the-fray-in-ward-25.html]Joanne Dickins[/url]
We must do all we can do keep the arena in Don Mills. It’s part of our history.
When I am councillor, I will assemble a taskforce that includes members of the community and private sector experts to lead and drive the solutions.
The taskforce will be headed by David Croutch of Civitan and I would invite other local councillors, MPPs and MPs, as well as the mayor and the premier. We would hold a two-day symposium to determine the course of action required and invite the minister of environment and other city, provincial and federal departments that may be required to give final approval. We must resolve this now, not in two or five years.
[attach]2352[/attach][url=https://streeter.ca/jenkins-to-run-again.html]Cliff Jenkins[/url]
In the original negotiation with the developer, the developer actually offered up the land to put the arena on the Don Mills site. I voted for it, but council turned that down by a vote of 17-16. Then six months later we accepted almost the same offer from the developer, but no arena in it. The irony of it is enormous—the folly of my 17 colleagues who voted against it.
We have to find another site for that arena and city staff are doing that.
We’ve got several years to do that. As well we have about four to five million dollars from Cadillac-Fairview as a starter to build the arena when we do find the site. That’s the next objective – to find the site and build that arena.
We’re forcing city staff to report back to us every three to four months. We’re obliging them to report on their search. We’re forcing them to come back on a regular basis and we’re maintaining it on the agenda of the general manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation. And we’ll continue to do that until we get the site we want. And we’ll force it in the political arena. Whoever the mayor is going to be is really going to have to deal with this.
[attach]2353[/attach]Tanya Hostler
What I would do to further this, would be … to contact a department that is responsible for the recreational capital program within the city and determine why they did not include this on the recreational infrastructure plan, and include it for funding or for rink-program funding with all the other recreational projects.
Maybe they’ve already sold the land and don’t even own the land anymore. If so, I’d like to make sure we maximize whatever profit we got from selling the land, run a (request for proposals), or if it’s already sold, that we find a new site as soon as possible, probably nearby on Don Mills Road.
[attach]2354[/attach][url=https://streeter.ca/jenkins-former-rival-throws-hat-back-in-ring.html]Jaye Robinson[/url]
The former venue is gone. People are still working through that transition. The face of the neighbourhood is changing. The seniors in particular feel a little bit displaced.
The community centre is a go-ahead and that’s been signed off on. Cadillac Fairview has set aside some money to build it. I think additional funds have to be raised. But there’s no location for it. People are very concerned about that. What I’m committed to doing in my first hundred days in office is making this a top priority, the issues Don Mills is facing right now as a community.
The agreement is set. It’s binding. Now we have to move forward. The key to moving forward effectively is to ensure this next phase is done promptly and effectively. We don’t want to lose sight of the commitment that’s been made.
[url=https://streeter.ca/tag-ward-34.html]Ward 34[/url]:
[attach]2355[/attach][url=https://streeter.ca/local-rep-rules-out-joining-race-for-toronto-mayor.html]Denzil Minnan-Wong[/url]
The Civitan Arena is a priority. There are two things that need to be addressed – proper funding, and then the location. In terms of funding, we were able to get the parks and recreation department to put a marker in the capital budget for a placement in the capital plan for 2016.
I was, along with other councillors, able to put a marker down so we were able to put the funding in place so that when the Civitan arena is closed, the funding will already be in place to build a new arena. The challenge is to find a proper location. We will continue to work with staff to find a proper location. The two issues are funding, which we were able to establish, and a location, which still remains a challenge.
[attach]2356[/attach][url=https://streeter.ca/transit-needs-a-fix-hopeful-says.html]Stephan Stewart[/url]
I concur the sentiments of the David Croutch, president of the Don Mills Civitan Hockey League, that it is imperative the city works closely with the club to find a site for the new arena.
As Councillor of Don Valley East it is my intention to do just that: work closely with the club to find a new arena.
[attach]2357[/attach][url=https://streeter.ca/activist-vying-for-ward-34-council-seat.html]Peter Youngren[/url]
Since it’s not in the riding we would be contributing voice and moving things forward for (Ward 25). It’s important. I think it would be premature to discuss (how) right now. There’s a lot to look at.
We’ve knocked on every door in that area and in our part of the riding and folks are looking for this to be moved forward. We’ve already been in discussion with them and we look forward to being a contributing voice in the upcoming term.
