Ballooning costs and tough choices for the twin-pad arena projects in Sudbury and North Bay

The costs of Sudbury's and North Bay's twin pad arena projects have increased since they were first pitched to municipal governments years ago, and now councils must decide how to proceed. 

In Sudbury, the Valley East Twin Pad Multipurpose Sports Complex project is struggling to get off the ground, even though city council committed to spending $9.2 million on the project back in 2022. 

That funding was conditional on obtaining money from senior levels of government. 

So far, one unsuccessful funding application through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program has been sent in. 

"There was some, in the mind of the federal government, misalignment of project goals as it related to zero emissions and those types of things," said Sudbury's director of leisure services, Jeff Pafford.

"As funding programs that fit the proposed project come to our attention, we certainly will make further applications," he added.

While that project stagnated over the past two years, estimated costs have increased by some 25 per cent, from $29.2 million to $40 million.

To keep the project alive, Coun. René Lapierre is presenting a motion in next week's meeting of the community and emergency services committee. 

If passed, staff will be asked to research twin pad projects in other jurisdictions and brainstorm solutions including "alternate approaches to arena construction" and "public-private approaches to community sports venues."

Alternate approaches to arena construction could involve something like changing the building typography, says Pafford. 

He says if the motion passes next week, staff could look at non-traditional arena builds in other communities, like Collingwood, Ont.

"[Over there] it's not a brick and mortar type project, it's a tension membrane sprung structure," said Pafford. "That's just one example." 

A last-ditch effort to stop the arena project in North Bay

After eight years of debate in council chambers, North Bay's elected officials almost moved to the next step in their twin pad arena project — the Community and Recreation Centre — during Tuesday's meeting.

Nine councillors voted in favour of going ahead and requesting proposals for the design and construction of the build. 

Two councillors voted against, voicing their concerns about the cost of the project. 

Initially limited to $52 million, the project budget is now $60 million, although it is likely some of the proposals will come in at $70 million, according to the consulting firm that studied the project. 

The city did land a $25-million grant with the federal government last year, conditional on the area being a zero-emission building — but North Bay taxpayers will have to pay the rest. 

"We're using every lever we have at our disposal to fund this project (...) We're using absolutely everything, which is a concern," said Coun. Jamie Lowery, who is advocating to rejuvenate the West Ferris arena instead. 

But his colleague Tanya Vrebosch said that previous council studies and discussions showed West Ferris is not an option, and that taking time to do further studies would only delay the inevitable. 

"By delaying the process, we are going to be spending more and getting less," she said. "We've been talking about this and budgeting for it for years." 

At the end of Tuesday's meeting, Lowery and his colleague Sara Inch asked their fellow council members to reconsider their decision to move ahead with the arena project.

North Bay city council is expected to make a final vote in a special council meeting Thursday.