City Notebook: A twinplex at what cost?

By COLLIN GALLANT on November 11, 2023.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

It was been eclipsed for a couple months by a utility rate debate, but the (recreational) “Facilities for the Future Plan” should get greater examination now.

That’s especially so since council will now begin debating budget priorities for 2024 this month, then a two-year budget next year.

It suggests major spending will see the Hat get greater value from operational tax dollars, but the question of “actual dollars” is still largely to be determined.

The long-awaited report, done by parks and rec department, states fewer but newer rec facilities will be better attended and the same number but newer rinks will run more efficiently.

It’s very much in line with the city’s almost singular focus of the last council term to get revenue aligned to costs in the heavily tax subsidized department.

But, there’s efficiency, and then there’s a bigger picture.

An example comes in the debate between a proposed twinplex arena compared to two existing stand-alone arenas.

The report that whizzed through council states the current Moose and Hockey Hounds rinks are aging. A new twin facility – now coupled with a curling rink – could cost more than $60 million to build and operate at a cost of $365,000 to $455,000 per year.

Currently, the Moose and Hockey Hounds rinks cost $455,000 (combined) to operate, even though they’re 10 kilometres apart.

It’s counter-intuitive, but a situation reported by the News eight years ago when The Arena was closed. Cost analysis at that time showed the two-rink Kinplex was only slightly more “efficient” than the much maligned stand-alone rinks taken in tandem.

In some ways, proposing big capital projects to erase minor deficits is akin to the city’s fire coverage plan during the 2010s, when two stations were torn down and two others built in other locations.

There was no net gain in stations, but better coverage.

The key financial point in the fire plan however, was that adding another station to boost coverage would have added $2 million (likely more by now) per year in operating costs. That amount eats up a $12-million capital spend very quickly.

With rinks, does the potential to save, $50,000 or even $100,000 per year, on operating arenas justify spending tens of millions on new construction?

Essentially, Hatters may get more for their money… but the operative question here is how much more, and for how much?

Politics

Barry Morishita is no longer the head of the Alberta Party, the latest blow for the fledgling party that can’t seem to make inroads.

It bills itself as a potential third-party option in a harshly divided province. Unfortunately, it took about 40 years to start off a legitimate second party to challenge the Progressive Conservatives.

Morishita’s future in politics or public life is hardly settled. He’s a young man (as politicians go), and too industrious to fade away.

It’s been a rough couple years on elected leaders of all levels, but we should say that Morishita, as mayor of Brooks, was one of very few municipal politicians of the top of mind that actually got COVID right, rather than being sunk by it.

Recall that Brooks went from having one of the worst outbreaks in North America to zero cases over a couple months and without all the strife that seemed to accompany mask debates, etc. that happened everywhere else.

COVID didn’t come up much in either of the local elections in the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding over the last year (the byelection was Nov. 8, 2022), but one can wonder if it had, might Morishita seen a better fate?

On the Road

The Rural Municipalities of Alberta fall meetings in Edmonton this year included a few along for the ride and a side trip to the Alberta Legislature for local elected leaders.

Cypress County Reeve Dan Hamilton and Couns. Wayne Brost, Shane Hok, Robin Kurpjuweit, Michelle MacKenzie and Dustn Vossler, were joined in the trip to the legislature with city Couns. Shila Sharps and Andy McGrogan along with city manager Ann Mitchell.

A look ahead

The Fair Entry low-income subsidy for city services will be discussed at a council committee meeting Monday. The annual “Midnight Madness” Christmas kickoff is set for Friday, Nov. 17.

100 years ago

Nov. 11 marked the dual celebration of Remembrance activities and Thanksgiving in Canada – a date set each year by Act of Parliament, the News recorded in the fall of 1923.

On the fifth anniversary of the Armistice in Great War, leaders of a putsch to challenge the German government were jailed. General Ludendorff and Adolph Hitler were being held. In Munich, the U.S. dollar traded for six trillion marks.

In Medicine Hat, the Chamber of Commerce and United Farmers promoted area tree planting, having acquired a specialized “lantern that can project slides” from the forestry station in Indian Head, Sask.

Mayor Huckvale opened the Civic Gymnasium, and “hockeyists” in the city were drawing up plans for the winter league.

Vauxhall Stock Farms swept the sheep and swine boards at the annual Calgary Winter Fair.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com.