La Broquerie arena expansion proceeding

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/09/2014 (3473 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In only a matter of minutes, the $3.1 million La Broquerie arena expansion project went from being nearly abandoned to receiving final approval.

Construction is expected to begin shortly after a motion to proceed garnered 4-3 approval at a council meeting Wednesday night.

The narrow vote visibly frustrated councillor Ken Tallaire, who, as head of the arena expansion committee, helped raise around $350,000 in two weeks to support the project after costs ballooned by more than a million.

A sketch of the planned expansion of the La Broquerie arena, for which HyLife has paid to have the naming rights.
A sketch of the planned expansion of the La Broquerie arena, for which HyLife has paid to have the naming rights.

With the public’s help, the half-million shortfall the RM was looking at would be reduced to approximately $250,000.

“It’s funny how in two weeks a 10 percent more (fund increase) changes everyone’s mind,” said Tallaire after the votes were cast.

“I thought in the last four years we came a long way, and people have the right to vote what they want, but it’s pretty disappointing.”

Before Tallaire’s motion to begin construction, Ron Hamilton suggested delaying the expansion until after the Oct. 22 election to allow the new council to decide the project’s fate.

“The numbers have gone up a long ways from where we started at,” he said. “I think we need to go back and ask the people if they want that or not.”

Hamilton’s motion was rejected.

The vote splits for a municipal council marked by harmony after years of turmoil demonstrates a divide between Ward 2 councillors who represent La Broquerie and Ward 1 representatives outside the community. All Ward 2 councillors, Ken Tallaire, Ron Vielfaure and Wilfred Chabot supported the project, along with reeve Claude Lussier. Ward 1 councillors, Ron Hamilton, Darrell Unger and Cornie Goertzen, rejected it.

The expanded arena will include new dressing rooms and a walkway cutting through the stands.

More on the debate in the Oct. 2 issue of The Carillon.

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