When council holds a public meeting next month to consider the future of the old Mount Forest arena, it wants to see more than a wish list of ideas.
On Monday night, council decided to hold another meeting in late November about the future of the building. The issue started with questions from recreation committee chairman Bob Mason, who said during committee meetings someone requested clarification from council about who would be paying bills at the old arena if it is no longer used for recreation.
He asked if bills would be paid through the recreation or property budgets.
Mayor Mike Broomhead said it is a fair question, but it is still up in the air if the building will be used by the public.
A number of ideas for public use were brought to a meeting earlier this year.
Which, said councillor Ross Chaulk, is a good reason to have another public meeting – to see how those plans have developed. He said setting a meeting date lets people know there is a deadline.
Councillor Dan Yake asked what council is seeking.
Broomhead said a number of proposals were presented earlier. Now it is time for proponents to come back and show how those plans have proceeded.
Yake hoped the groups had done their homework; otherwise he expressed doubts about how productive another meeting would be. He suggested anyone making a presentation, should make the municipality aware of it prior to the meeting.
“To have a public meeting with only one presentation would not be that useful either,” he said.
Mason said people were told that another meeting would be held, and even if proposals are not yet set in concrete, he believes the meeting should still be held.
Yake asked, if there is no solid case for any particular proposal, what happens then. He said the meeting should not be another brainstorming session of “we should do this, or we should do that.”
Broomhead, however, did not want to reject new ideas, if there is a solid case for them. He wanted an opportunity for everyone to offer ideas for the old arena
Councillor Ross Chaulk recommended asking that anyone with a proposal, should have it in writing – “to avoid fly-by-night” ideas.
