(File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Rec centre

Council ponders acceleration of library plan

Sep 28, 2020 | 3:58 PM

A branch library is slated for phase three of Prince Albert’s new multimillion-dollar aquatic and arena recreation centre, but the city is looking for funding to build it sooner.

At a Sept. 21 city council meeting, Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp advocated that the library be included in designs for phase one.

“I’m asking we make a commitment tonight to our citizens that we’re not just looking at an aquatic centre, we’re not just saying hockey,” she told the meeting. “We’re saying that there is a space here for learning and literacy and small children.”

While other councillors agreed the library was an important part of the plan for the rec centre, several said the city simply didn’t have the money for the library right now.

The branch library and daycare centre are estimated to cost $5 million.

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“The issue is how do we pay for it, how do we fund it,” said Coun. Ted Zurakowski, suggesting council direct city administration to look for funding sources.

Although she said she would have preferred to have the facility included in the first phase of the project, Coun. Lennox-Zepp changed her motion to ask for a report on the cost and how to fund the library. Council voted five to four in favour of the report.

Mayor Greg Dionne, one of the dissenting votes, said city staff already had enough on their plate preparing the 2021 budget and the library just wasn’t a priority right now.

“I’ve tasked our staff with the hardest budget we’re ever going to have,” he said. “We’re still going to be struggling with COVID in 2021. We don’t need the funding for the library or any other part of the project for another year, year and a half, maybe even three years.”

The planned phases for the arena and aquatic recreation centre are:

• Phase one: Aquatic centre and two arenas.
  • Funded, $44 million from federal and provincial governments, $16 million from City of Prince Albert
• Phase two: 4,500 seat arena entertainment centre
  • Not funded, estimated to cost $60 million
• Phase three: Branch library and daycare centre
  • Not funded, estimated to cost $5 million

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom