The wait is over – construction on Cochrane’s new aquatic/curling facility will begin next year after council gave near-unanimous support behind the $45 million project.
Despite ardent objections from Cochrane councillor Morgan Nagel, the remaining members of council said that the project was something the community has been calling for for a number of years, and that they were comfortable with the price tag and the imposing debt the town will be forced to take on for a period of time before the facility ‘pays for itself.’
Suzanne Gaida, senior manager of community services for the town, provided council with three options for moving forward on the pool/curling facility. Option 1 (which was ultimately approved) was to begin construction in 2015, had a price tag of $45 million and a shortfall of $1.8 million. Option 2 began construction in 2016, cost $47.25 million and had a shortcoming of $3.72 million. The final option was to phase in construction, with the pool being completed first, then the curling portion two years later. The cost for Option 3 was $47 million and had a $2.83 million shortfall.
“People have to trust that we have a lot of irons in the fire,” said Mayor Ivan Brooker of the potential financial donors waiting in the wings for the project to be given the go-ahead.
Thus far, the Rock the Waves campaign has garnered $1.3 million of its $10.6 million goal.
Councillor Gaynor Levisky also supported the project, saying, “I don’t want to be infrastructure poor anymore in this town.”
Councillor Ross Watson, who put forward the motion to approve construction for the pool/curling facility to commence in 2015, said the project was something the community desperately wanted.
“I don’t want Cochrane to have as its only water sport flushing their toilets,” Watson said.
Councillor Tara McFadden said the pool/curling was not a core service, but it was what the public expected.
Coun. Nagel stood firm opposing the plan.
“We continue to downplay the financial implications of this project,” he said, adding that the amount of debt the town will have to take on was ‘crazy spending’ and would cause the municipality to ‘drown in debt.’
With the approved plan, the town will incur a debt amounting to 90 per cent of council’s approved debt limit approximately five years down the road.
Paige Milner, senior manager of corporate services for the town, said the current debt limit is 23 per cent, and following the peak of 90 per cent in five years, the debt limit would be down to 35 per cent a decade from now.
Nagel said the town should be concentrating on infrastructure it ‘needs’ and not ‘wants’, focusing on roads, a bridge over the Bow River from Riversong, a new RCMP detachment and other necessities.
Councillor Jeff Toews, who has always been a staunch supporter of the pool/curling facility, said it would be incredibly shortsighted not to move forward, and that it was about providing a service to the town.
“We’re dealing with two buildings that are falling apart,” Toews said of the current Cochrane Leisure Pool and Curling Club, adding that the new facility would be self-sustainable after five years.
Many on council pointed to rising construction costs as a deterrent to delay the project.
Councillor Mary Lou Davis said she remembered when she was on council 10 years ago and a new pool was the hot topic even then, but the cost was not nearly as high as what they were looking at now.
Davis agreed with Nagel, that debt can ‘destroy you,’ but equated the decision to what she would do as an individual faced with a similar financial decision, and came to the conclusion that ‘life is not without risk.’
Gaida said the current model for the pool/curling project would be a viable facility for the community for around 25-30 years.
Gaida also said none of the projects outlined in the town’s 10 Year Financial Plan would be delayed due to the pool/curling facility being approved.
