Sudbury events centre discussion pushes 'reinvestment in downtown'

Just as city council in Sudbury, Ont., gets ready to decide on the criteria that will be used to select a site for a new events centre, the downtown business improvement organization held a public forum on Thursday to discuss the possibilities that a new venue could bring. 

"It makes the most economic sense to build it in the core of your city," said Jeff MacIntyre, chair of Downtown Sudbury. 

"You don't build an events centre to make money on the events centre. You build an events centre for all of the economic impact around it."

MacIntyre pointed to arenas in Guelph and London, Ont., which have spurred new development, business and people to their respective downtowns.

Brian Ohl, general manager of London's Budweiser Gardens, spoke at Downtown Sudbury's event about how his community was divided on the arena's location before it was operating. 

'That's what changed people's minds'

"Once the building was built and it was successful, a lot of those problems that they thought were going to happen didn't happen," said Ohl, noting concerns over limited parking. 

"That's what changed people's minds."

Politicians, community and business leaders in Sudbury should study other events centres before making a decision about building their own, according to Ohl who also noted that Sudbury has a good market for a new arena. 

Elizabeth De Luisa is a professional planner, who recently returned to Sudbury from Atlantic Canada.

She spoke out at the forum against a proposed location for the new arena on the Kingsway, which she said has garnered support to some extent because of its close proximity to the New Sudbury shopping centre.

"Commercial retail never is the heart of anything," De Luisa said.

"Just as much as there are people who think that's a good location, there are a lot of people who want to see a reinvestment in downtown."

'Result of either design or accident'

City council is expected to consider factors, such as parking, vision, ease of development and economic impact when deciding where to build a new arena.

On April 11, councillors will vote on the type of evaluation standards that will be considered when they are choosing a location. 

"Sudbury does have a future, and it will be a result of either design or accident," De Luisa said.

"We have to challenge our mindset. We really have to look at ourselves and ask some really uncomfortable questions, and we have to have the political will to make that change."