North Bay to move ahead with $63M arena

By a vote of 10-1 Monday at a special meeting, city council in North Bay voted to build a new arena with a maximum budget of $62.5 million.

When internal costs of $500,000 are included, the rink will come to $63 million. The federal government is paying $26 million of the cost from its Green and Inclusive Community Buildings fund.

By a vote of 10-1 Monday at a special meeting, city council in North Bay voted to build a new arena with a maximum budget of $62.5 million. (Supplied)

Work on the project starts at the end of the month and will be completed in August 2026.

It will include two NHL-sized rinks, a walking track, community room and other amenities to be built at the Steve Omischl Sports Complex on Lakeshore Drive.

Coun. Jamie Lowery, the sole vote against the project, questioned whether the project is worth the money.

"It’s very nostalgic that we’re building new rinks and everything like that but is it affordable and is it the right strategic move for the city?" Lowery said after Monday's special meeting of council.

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But Mayor Peter Chirico said it was time to move forward.

"Let’s get it done," Chirico said.

"There’s been lots of talk for the last dozen years or so on and so forth with escalating costs. We have a chance right now with almost $26 million in federal money. Yes, it is all taxpayer’s money. But we’re getting it back into our city."

By a vote of 10-1 Monday at a special meeting, city council in North Bay voted to build a new arena with a maximum budget of $62.5 million. (Supplied)

“It's part of our infrastructure, just like everything, baseball, diamonds, waterfront, all of these things. you know, not everybody uses them," he added.

"Not everybody has a use for them. But certainly, as a community, those are things that we have to invest in and continue to invest in. Again, when we look at, you know, 65 cent dollars on this project, I think that that in itself carries a weight to be able to move this project to where we are today.”

But Lowery said the site of the new rink is too far from the city's centre.

“You've got to look at what it's called, a community centre," he said.

"When it's out there, I mean, it's great if you've got a car or take the bus out there. But in my background as a commissioner for community services, building community centres in an existing community is super important because it's more than ice. It's a place where people can gather.”