ARTICLE FROM BAYSHORE BROADCASTING, by Catherine Thompson

Residents complain about quick Council decision, Mayor addresses protestors.

click to open MP3 version of this news story.

Collingwood councillors were again met by protestors as they arrived for their council meeting on Monday.

The group Friends of the Collingwood Central Park Project and their supporters are upset with what they say was a quick council decision with no public input to cover the Centennial pool at Heritage Park and build a single ice pad at Central Park.

The two projects will cost 11.6 million dollars plus operating costs.

Protestors rallied outside town hall last Monday and yesterday afternoon, a march was held from Central Park to town hall.

ARTICLE FROM 95.1 PEAK FM

Nearly 200 people held a demonstration outside Collingwood town hall last night to protest what they feel was council's rushed decision to put a covering over Centennial Pool and build a new arena at Central Park.

Mayor Sandra Cooper told council last night, facts had been distorted and there were no secrets at town hall.

A steering committee recommended a 35 million dollar multi use facility at Central Park.

Cooper said senior staff spent 45 days looking at various options, and added the town carries a massive debt load and cannot just spend and borrow, or tax people who won't use the facility. 

ARTICLE FROM THE ENTERPRISE BULLETIN, BY IAN ADAMS

COLLINGWOOD — About 80 people made the trek between Central Park and town hall Monday night, urging council to hit the 'pause' button and consider a partnership with the YMCA for aquatic facilities.

They were joined by another 20 or so people in front of the municipal offices, just prior to council's weekly meeting. As in last week's rally — which drew about 225 people — attendees called on council to 'do it once, do it right'.

While fewer showed up this week than last, Friends of Central Park spokesperson Geoff Moran says finding the time to come out at 4 p.m. on a Monday is difficult for most.

 ARTICLE  FROM 97.7 THE BEACH, by Catherine Thompson  

Friends of the Central Park Project are staging a protest march on Monday afternoon.

A group of people in Collingwood aren't letting councillors off the hook.

Friends of the Collingwood Central Park Project are staging a protest march on Monday afternoon.

The group will meet at Central Park on Hume Street at 4 PM and march to town hall to greet councillors as they arrive for their 5 PM Council meeting.

ARTICLE ON 95.1 PEAK FM

The battle over recreational facilities in Collingwood will heat up again today with a march on town hall this afternoon.

Opponents of council's decision to put a bubble-like structure over Centennial Pool and build a new arena at Central Park will gather at the YMCA at four o'clock.

They claim council rushed a decision to spend 11.6 million dollars on the facilities without public input.

A steering committee recommended a 35 million dollar multi use rec centre at Central Park with a larger pool, twin ice pad and community space.

Blog Post By Ian Adams, from East-End Underground Blog

… The Simcoe-Muskoka YMCA, in an open letter to its members, indicates it has met with municipal officials and presented an option for aquatics.

It included a breakdown of costs that the local rumblings suggest would make it (gasp!)cheaper financially more efficient for the Y to operate a 25-metre pool at their Hume Street site.

Let’s see: covering Centennial Pool will cost $3.2 million, with operational costs of about $250,000. Over five years that works out to about $4.4 million in total costs to the town; in 10 years the cost is $5.7 million. A new pool at the Y, in 10 years, will be about , uh, $5.7 million – based on the town giving/lending the Y the capital costs, plus the $100,000 or so the town would have given the Y for operating costs in the first four years (and not including any fundraising the Y has done for the project – that’s estimated to be around $600,000). The Y pool, at that point, would be paid for, from a town perspective, while Centennial Pool would be, uh, still being paid for in operating costs. 

Please join us on Monday, September 17th at 4 pm at the Hume Street sign for Central Park. At 4 pm, all Friends of Central Park will walk as a group to the Collingwood Town Hall in protest of the lack of transparency in the town's recent decision.

We will have signs available that read "DO IT ONCE, DO IT RIGHT!". If you still have your sign from the previous protest, please bring it along. 

PLEASE PASS ALONG THIS MESSAGE. We hope that more than 300 people will commit and help to voice this collective concern. 


For the event page, please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/events/337855672970772/ 

ARTICLE FROM THE ENTERPRISE BULLETIN

On Monday night, Councillor Keith Hull asked for — but was declined — the opportunity to ask 20 questions related to the purchase of two fabric structures for recreational facilities. He provided his questions to the Enterprise-Bulletin:

Finances:

1. The estimated cost of the project is $11,633,000.00 not including commitments to renovate the Eddie Bush Arena. Regardless of the price tag, $5 million, $10 million or $35 million, the Central Park Steering Committee (CPSC) recommended moving forward with a second committee to pursue all funding and fundraising options. Why would Council still not pursue this option in an effort to reduce the overall cost on the Town Finances? Collingwood Minor Hockey has a building fund, have they been asked to contribute to this project and if not why? (Library)