Waiting game

Three levels of government discussing Mainland North Common project
By RICHARD WOODBURY
HALIFAX - People waiting for the announcement of a multi-purpose recreational facility in the Mainland North Common area are going to have to wait a little longer.

The original deadline for the announcement was Nov. 15, says Susan Kirkland, the chair of Build It Right, a community group lobbying for a state-of-the-art centre which would include a rink, swimming pool, fieldhouse/gymnasium, fitness centre and weight room, indoor walking and running track, and meeting rooms.

"We don’t really have a good idea of where things are," she says.

In the meantime, Build It Right has been busy making presentations trying to raise awareness of its plans.

Talks are underway among the federal, provincial and municipal governments, says Lucas Wide, the spokesperson for the Department of Health Promotion and Protection.

The reason for the delay has to do with Halifax landing the 2011 Canada Winter Games, he says.

One of the responsibilities of hosting the Canada Winter Games is building a legacy piece, usually a Canada Games Centre.

The three levels of government are developing plans to ensure the centre meets the present and future needs of the community, the region and the province, he says.
Funding for the centre will come from all three governments and private donations, says Ms. Kirkland. But Build It Right has not started collecting donations.

The city has kept making changes to the plans and it’s been hard for the community to rally behind the city’s plans, she says.

"We can’t raise funds for something that we don’t want or we don’t believe in," says Ms. Kirkland. "And once we have the facility that we believe in on the books, then we’ll get out there and support it."

The facility will need to be ready by 2010, Mr. Wide says, because they need to do a year of test events prior to the Games.

Margaret Soley, the project manager for the city, says an announcement before the end of the year is possible, but will most likely happen in the new year.

Once an announcement is made, the city will present the idea to the community and ask for feedback on it.
(rwoodbury@herald.ca)