The mayor of Chatham-Kent insists building a new arena for the municipality to enjoy is still a top priority.
Mayor Darrin Canniff told CK Mornings with Chris, Allanah, and Matt that building a new large arena to replace the 75-year-old Memorial Arena in Chatham is still on the table.
A new plan for the Downtown Chatham Centre (DCC) doesn't include a 4,000 seat entertainment complex with an arena because the owners no longer believe it's feasible. The entertainment complex was a significant aspect of the DCC proposal which garnered lots of public interest, but a report prepared for Council stated the owners intend to maintain and refurbish the mall.
Canniff said the arena needs a bigger footprint than what was available at the downtown mall.
"It wasn't going to fit on the site. When you go to other arenas of that size, you look and ask what space you need outside of the arena and it wasn't there," said Mayor Canniff.
Canniff said everyone around the council table understands the importance of building a new arena as soon as possible.
"If we want to be on the map as an A+ community as far as amenities, that's the other missing piece. We will be looking at an arena, we just need to find another site for it. So, it's not as if it's off the table and we're not going to do it. I very much want to see something happen," the mayor said.
Canniff said he would love to see the arena downtown but the space just isn't there with other components of the project to be built.
"What I don't want to do is say that's a great idea let's build it and then three years later ask why did we build it here. We don't have room for this, this, and this. I want to have it so that over the next 50 years we as Chatham-Kent can enjoy it," he added.
The public will now be asked what they think of the five options on the table, including the municipality buying the former Sears building and relocating some municipal services to the site at a cost of nearly $42.4 million.
Other options include doing nothing and addressing issues as needed, renovating the existing Civic Centre at a cost of $30-35 million, expanding the library and cultural centre, adding another $8.7-$10.8 million to the previous price tag, and building a new Civic Centre at a new location with a price tag of $70-$80 million.
A follow-up report is expected to come back to Council on October 30, 2023 following the public consultation.