Performing arts centre top multiplex priority

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This article was published 20/07/2015 (3195 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steinbach city council has sided with the artists over the jocks in the next phase of its proposed multiplex.

Council selected the performing arts centre as the next complex they would build in the city’s dramatic reimagining of its downtown recreational and cultural offerings. The 5-2 vote overruled councillors Susan Penner and Earl Funk who advocated a multi-use field house serving the interests of soccer players should be top priority.

Shovels will not hit the ground anytime soon on the next step.

Council limited the city’s contribution to $7.5 million, with the majority of funds provided by other government levels and private donations. The city will not start construction without that help, which has not been promised yet.

The motion also explained that Steinbach will continue developing its master plan for a recreation and cultural multiplex, currently estimated at more than $65 million. An engineering firm provided three mock-ups of how the future multiplex and its various components, comprised of a performing arts centre, fieldhouse and arena, may look but neither option has been selected.

Councilor Michael Zwaagstra, who put forth the motion, said this will give some direction to the project.

He said there are various reasons the performing arts centre should be the first built, from its cheaper cost than other multiplex components to the higher likelihood this project would receive financial support from other government levels than a strictly recreational building.

“Frankly, this is an item that had been discussed by council previously and stated as if [the multiplex] was going to be phased, that was likely going to be the first phase,” he said. “This is making it official.”

Councillor Cari Penner added that council has done a good job handling its hard infrastructure priorities—like the lagoon and road maintenance—but now is time to address the recreational deficiencies.

Susan Penner argued council has not engaged in sufficient public engagement, and citizens have not provided a mandate that the performing arts centre is their main interest.

She said she has spoken to dozens of residents in the past few weeks, with many telling her a fieldhouse is their preference.

“We’re building a $15-20 million dollar plus facility that will only be used for big events and not day-to-day activities,” said Penner. “This is a significant cost for special events, I’d say.”

Earl Funk said he came into the meeting supporting the motion’s intent but his opinion swayed.

He said he too spoke with residents who argued an indoor soccer complex is most pressing.

“We have to have the big picture but we also have to have the vision for soccer,” he said.

Zwaagstra said in response to the dissenters the city is not foregoing the fieldhouse or arena in deciding one project should proceed before the others.

He challenged Susan Penner’s decision to oppose his motion. She has championed fiscal responsibility in past council discussions about the multiplex.

“Now she’s voting against it not because of the fiscal angle but because out of the three items on the list—well, nope, the one that was kind of third on our list should really be first,” he said.