The decision on a new arena for North Bay could extend to Labour Day and beyond.
A report from the City of North Bay’s Managing Director of Community Services and its Chief Financial Officer recommends that direction be given by City Council to the Arena Committee “to investigate the potential benefits and challenges associated with pursuing a Private Public Partnership Project to replace the West Ferris Arena including timeline implications and report back to Council by September 4.
See: Arena decision heading for overtime?
“The matter could be referred to the Arena Committee for a discussion on the opportunities and challenges associated with an alternative procurement method, often referred to as a P3 model. The P3 or other alternative models are outside of the scope of the current process and if pursued would require the current process to be closed and a new procurement process to be developed and opened to all potentially interested parties.”
Chair of the Arena Committee, Councillor Mark King admitted recently that the process to arrive at the best option for the City and its citizens has grown beyond the original scope. The report outlines the options available to proceed, including using land owned by the City adjacent to the Steve Omischl Sports Complex to build the arena.
Other options include purchasing land near the sports complex on Lakeshore Drive, choosing one of the other private land options, or exploring the P3 route and beginning the process once more.
King has said there is a rough timeline of fall 2019 for a replacement arena to be built to ensure that West Ferris Arena, with a problematic roof and other structural issues, is not shuttered before that time.
