Coun. Dennis Nowoselsky. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

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On the eve of formally declaring his candidacy for mayor, a P.A. city councillor is speaking out against spending millions on a new recreation complex, saying Prince Albert’s more pressing needs lie in repairs and upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure.

At Monday night’s meeting, Coun. Dennis Nowoselsky attempted to get council to discuss adding the following question to ballots in the upcoming November election: “Should the city proceed this year with building two more hockey rinks and a water recreation complex for a cost of over 16 million municipal dollars?”

His motion was ruled out of order by Mayor Greg Dionne who chaired the meeting.

“We’ve already made the purchase. He’s about two to three weeks late,” Dionne told paNOW. “So once the deal’s passed, it’s a dead issue and it moves on.”

Nowoselsky said he didn’t expect the question to actually get on the ballot, but he wanted more public debate on the land purchase he feels it was pushed through too quickly.

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“The community wasn’t consulted. It was a little sweetheart deal,” he said. “I knew if it went to vote it would be 5-4 to just defeat it.”

“I wanted to hear the arguments, that’s why they quickly said ‘point of order, it’s been done.’ They didn’t want further discussion.”

Reiterating comments he made duing last month’s debate, Nowoselsky said it’s irresponsible for the city to spend so much on the recreation complex when major water and sewer infrastructure upgrades are needed in Prince Albert.

“It’s like a homeowner having a couple hundred thousand dollar house and the water pipes are going, the sewer’s not working,” he explained. “But he in his backyard wants an enclosed pool and an enclosed hockey rink.”

Along with investment in water and sewer, Nowoselsky said making council more accountable and open will be one of the key pillars of the mayoral bid he plans to launch Wednesday.

“The sparks are going to start flying soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dionne said Nowoselsky’s motion involved “more politics than facts.”

“He’s running for mayor and he’s using every advantage he can to try to expand his position,” Dionne told paNOW. “Which I think is wrong, you shouldn’t be campaigning at council.”

Dionne said he believed the recreation complex and the accompanying federal and provincial funding was “the best thing that’s every happened to the city.” As for water and sewer projects, he said the city is applying for funding for them as well.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom