Monthly Archives: June 2008

McCain makes concession to multiplex

As Published in the Portage Daily Graphic June 10 2008

Another local business is standing behind the proposed PCU Centre in Portage la Prairie.

At Monday night’s city council meeting, councillors approved a $100,000 bid from McCain Foundation/McCain Foods Ltd. for naming rights of the two concessions at the proposed multiplex.

“We’re pleased to have gotten the offer from McCains, and we’re more than happy to accept their generous offer,” said Portage Mayor Ken Brennan after the meeting. “We look forward to seeing their name on the concessions in the new multiplex.”

The $100,000 will be given in $25,000 increments over the next four years, and will secure naming rights to the main floor concession and the concession on the second floor in the main arena for McCain over the next 20 years. The city also promised the concessions will try to use McCain products at the concessions whenever possible.

Brennan said the bid from McCain shows the multiplex project, which has been delayed since the city announced it was nearly $10 million short of the funds needed to build the complex, is something the community still wants to see built.

“The support for this project continues to grow in the community,” he explained. “From what I’ve been hearing, people don’t want us to lose focus on this; they want us to keep driving forward.”

The city had originally budgeted a maximum of $38 million to build the PCU Centre, but some of the funding promised by both the provincial and federal governments fell through, and to make matters worse the last estimated price of the build put the total cost of the project at $42 million.

Brennan has been in meetings with members of his council along with councillors from the Rural Municipality of Portage and designers of the multiplex trying to come up with ways to bring down the total price tag of the multiplex project.

He is hopeful the project will be tendered soon, so work on the project can start sometime this summer.

Farmers call for multiplex referendum

As Published in the Portage Daily Graphic Thursday June 12 2008

The Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie should be forced to hold a referendum on whether its residents want to continue with its plan to give $8 million to the PCU Centre in Portage, according to a letter sent to RM council by two Oakville-area farmers.

Abe Peters and Bob Murray sent the letter to RM council, which outlined the matter to councillors. The referendum should be held if the multiplex committee decides to change any plans for the project, which has come in over budget.

Plans for the multiplex, which included two arenas, an aquatic centre and a fitness centre were released at a public meeting on May 15. The city and RM admitted at that time changes would have to be made to the plans because the building was more expensive than they could afford.

The original estimate for the project came in around $36 million, while the revised estimated cost was actually $42 million, and the build has been put on hold while planners look at ways of cutting costs, which may include changes to the plans.

“There is more than likely going to be changes made from the presentation that was made a week or two ago,” said Reeve Toby Trimble. “We’re in the process of meeting and deciding where we’re going to go.”

The RM authorized a borrowing bylaw allowing it to take on the $8-million debt on Aug. 14, 2007. No one showed up in opposition of it at a public hearing before the vote. Peters said that’s because no one knew about the hearing, and farmers were too busy harvesting at the time to come to the meeting anyway. Some rural residents are now upset because the RM raised taxes by 5.1 per cent this year in part to pay for the multiplex.

See the full story in The Daily Graphic or subscribe to our online edition at pdfsubscription.bowesonline.com/33/

RM’s priorities need to be redefined

As Published in the Portage la Prairie Daily Graphic Friday June 13th 2008

With the current debate raging over funding for the Portage Multiplex, there are many concerns being raised that have not been properly addressed by our current RM of Portage la Prairie council.

Most importantly, where has the RM received their mandate to spend 8 million dollars of rural taxpayers money on a luxury facility that is not even located in their jurisdiction? While the last City election revolved around the Multiplex and city councilors were elected to proceed with the process, when was it ever mentioned that the RM taxpayers including commercial businesses and farmers would each be on the hook for thousands of dollars per year to fund this.?

The City and RM are quick to partner together on infrastructure projects where it is to the benefit of all parties and that is a great thing. But no RM resident could imagine that they would be expected to fund this luxury facility of 42 million dollars (or higher) that will simple replace existing facilities in the City of Portage and Southport. With no additional facilities of any major size being added, how is this really expected to be a boon for the regions economy?

It would seem that an expenditure as large as this should have had some taxpayer input, first off on whether the RM should be a part of it, secondly to what final dollar value, and finally how it should be divided among taxpayers.

When Oakville wanted to install artificial ice several years ago in an arena located in the RM and used primarily by RM residents, there were zero dollars available for this capital project from the RM. 100% of funds were raised by volunteers from local residents, businesses, and farmers. For that, everyone that uses the facility is thankful. To expect these same taxpayers to be on the hook for this mega project is simply unfathomable when they were told there was no money for these same facilities in the RM.

When these people wanted to get a project done, they stepped up with their checkbooks and skills and made it happen. For everyone that has said that the Portage Multiplex needs to be built and especially those in favor of going ahead at any cost, I challenge them to get their checkbooks out and make it happen. Don’t expect 100% of the project to be paid for with tax dollars and corporations donating other peoples money.

When a precedent is set by the RM on what is funded and what is not, there needs to be explanations made when these decisions are changed.

With the current disaster in the Rural Municipality regarding the condition of the gravel roads, most residents would like to see the 1.5 million allocated from the RM general reserve (rainy day) fund be put toward things that would make conditions in the RM better today rather than to the Multiplex.

I am sure city residents would understand the rural residents concerns if it took them 10 minutes to travel 5 kilometers down a gravel road in a full size 4WD pickup through mud and water. If they had to schedule their work shifts around the weather forecast. If they had to make alternate arrangements with the school bus because it isn’t safe for the bus to travel down many gravel roads. Maybe it takes having their business impacted because delivery vehicles refuse to come to their premises because of the road conditions before the realities of these long term funding decisions hit home.

With approximately a million tax dollars from each ward in the RM being allocated to the multiplex, rural residents don’t have to look very far to prioritise where they would want that same million dollars of taxes spent. Is it time for the RM to use some of their rainy day fund to repair the current conditions in the RM and make up for past poor decisions on the choice of gravel suppliers? The roads are in worse condition today that they were in the monsoon season of 2005.

With the borrowing abilities of the City and RM being maxed out by this project, what happens if a disaster strikes? How much other development or renewal projects will be put off for a decade? How many streets and sidewalks will not be repaired? If a large company wants to locate in the Portage area, will there be money to provide them with services they need? Is the sewage treatment plant up to specs for the future phosphate requirements of the Lake Winnipeg watershed? If anything else arises, what is the fallback plan?

All taxpayers are asking for is answers to many questions that should of been answered before their elected officials committed to a project that still has no business plan and no ideas as to what the annual operating costs or deficits will be.

With the current debate of this multiplex being limited to coffee shops and letters to the editor , a new website has been launched to foster discussion and allow all interested parties to have their say. Whether you are in favor or against, have location concerns, or simply want your voice heard, please goto www.portagemultiplex.com and make your opinions known !

Dwayne Leslie is a freelance writer and farmer in the Poplar Point Manitoba area

City’s heritage in danger of disappearing

Letter to the Editor in the Portage Daily Graphic June 13 2008

The Heritage Committee of Portage has done a great job in researching the Point of Interest plaques along the Crescent Lake walkway. They are preserving our history in a grand way.

The members of the city and rural council should take a page out of their book. Instead, they are bent on destroying what we have! An Island so unique that can’t be seen anywhere else. Why go against the recommendations of a study paid for, of course, and put the complex on our beautiful Island Park? Spend thousands of dollars on a causeway, which is iffy, and put added taxes on everyone.

There is a possibility we and lots of others would never set foot or see the completion of this building. Rethink what you are forcing on the people who put you in office and can vote you out. Change the location; it’s not too late to admit and correct the mistake.

Evelyn Smith

Portage la Prairie

Welcome to PortageMultiplex.Com

Welcome to the new website PortageMultiplex.Com

This site has been developed to help spread information and foster debate on the proposed Portage Credit Union Center in Portage la Prairie Manitoba, or the Portage Multiplex as it has been known as for the past few years.

There has been much talk and hype about this project since the Portage Recreation Committee was formed several years ago to look at the future requirements and possible feasibilty of new Recreation facilities for the City of Portage la Prairie.

It has only been in the last month that the full ramifications of what this project may mean to the residents and taxpayers of the City of Portage la Prairie and the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie has become public knowledge.

With no other forum available with all the facts, plans, and opinions, this website will endeavor to give all those interested in the project to have their say.

We encourage those with an interest in this project to submit their guest columns, whether they are for or against, but be prepared to have others comment on your articles.

We also welcome any submissions from the Portage Rec Committee, the City of Portage la Prairie, and the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, especially if it is to provide new information or clarification to any information presented here.

We just want the facts to be here for everyone to digest, understand, and comment upon.

What is the RM council mandate?

While many rural residents and businesses cannot even safely travel down the RM roads when it rains because of questionable choices in purchased gravel the past few years, The RM has chosen to use their rainy day slush fund to help pay for new hockey rinks and swimming pools that will not even be in the RM’s jurisdiction.

While over the last few years they have clearly indicated that they would not help fund any capital projects on community club recreation facilities that are actually located in the RM, and used almost exclusively by RM residents and taxpayers. So I think we can all understand why RM residents are concerned about the way that the RM Reeve and councilors have made the decision to give 8 million dollars of RM tax dollars to a luxury project located in the heart of the City of Portage la Prairie without any consultation with taxpayers.

On a project of this magnitude, a small ad in a local newspaper about a bylaw hearing held August 15th 2007 in the middle of harvest does not constitute a proper notification of taxpayers.

No one wanted to rain on the parade of the organizers at the public launch at the William Glesby center on May 15th, but when it is the first time the public has had a say it should be no surprise that the majority of people in the crowd were from the RM and obviously very upset over the way the RM council has conducted themselves.

Most people feel the mandate of the Rural Municipality should be infrastructure including roads, bridges, drainage, garbage, water, sewer, gas, internet, zoning, building inspections, etc.

While a few people think that recreation facilities should be included under basic infrastructure, most people have agreed with past council decisions not to fund projects of this type. To change the direction of the past councils on such a grand scale without consultation is simply unconscionable.

At least the City of Portage had this issue front and center in their recent municipal elections with people supporting the idea of the project by electing councilors on the platform of Portage needing a multiplex. No specifics of course, just a grand idea that politicians make to get elected.

The subject was never brought up in the RM elections, not a word mentioned. Do you think any Rural councilor or reeve would have gotten elected if they proposed making one of the largest loans in RM history and also use the rainy day fund to pay for hockey rinks and swimming pools outside their jurisdiction ?

Whether you agree or disagree on the proposed location, no one was asked where it should go.

Whether you agree or disagree of how it should be funded, no one was asked how much they were willing to pay or if they should pay at all.

Information has been provided from the top down by the 3 groups , there was never anyone asked at the grassroots level what their opinion was.

Everyone is simply being told to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars per year more in taxes to fund this project.

What do you think? Click the comment link below and sound off !

Where’s the Business Plan?

At the meeting at the William Glesby Center on May 15th 2008, there were several people who asked pointed questions on what the business plan was, especially concerning annual operating costs of the new facility and what the future operating deficits could be that would have to be covered by taxpayers.

The group of assembled leaders on stage had no idea. Everybody looked at each other hoping someone knew.

A month later and we have still heard no public answer from the City, RM, or Rec Committee.

They want taxpayers to commit 42 million dollars and they have no business plan.

And they wonder why people are concerned.

Add your Comments below.

How Much Can We Borrow?

Both the City and RM councils have indicated that their commitments of 16 million and 8 million will max out their borrowing limits.

This sounds like someone who maxes out their credit card to pay for a luxury item like a new car. If something happens in the near future and they have no way to pay for it…tough luck I guess.

It is rumored that the City will transfer money that is currently earmarked for other projects over the next few years to be allocated to the sportsplex fund.

Are Portagers willing to give up having their street or sidewalk repaired or watch other services decline so that they can have a new hockey rink and swimming pool?

What happens in the RM if we have some type of natural disaster that requires immediate actions. While provincial funding kicks in at a certain point, is there enough money in reserve to look after the RM? The wind storm that cost millions of dollars damage in the Red River valley is but one recent example of what can happen.

Since some people say we need this facility to attract more businesses to the City / RM, what happens if this is true? If there is another McCains/Simplot project coming to town is there any money to provide them with services?

Is there any money to upgrade Portage’s sewer system to meet future regulations to protect the Lake Winnipeg watershed?

Are the City and RM councils leveraging everything we have for the glory of standing and smiling at a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2010?

But if any of these thing worst case scenarios happen, they can always just raise taxes I guess.

What do you think?

What’s in a Location?

There are many people upset or have serious concerns about the chosen location for the proposed multiplex.
While many are happy to see the jewel of the city further developed to make more use of island, there seems to be many others who want the to save the island as the jewel of the city and do not want it spoilt by this developement.

There are also questions asked about why the location was listed so far down the preferred locations list by the original feasibility study but surfaced as the prime location once the committee was done with the report.

There are also questions asked about the momorandum of understanding, what the true cost of the property will be over the 99 year lease and how the current shareholders of the Portage Fair Board may benefit.

With the extra costs of a temporay causeway plus bridge repairs that will only last 5 years, what is the long term cost going to be for a new bridge or a possible second access to the island.

What about traffic concerns for residents on Crescent Road or Royal Road that will have hundreds of extra vehicles a day travel through residential streets, or the traffic jam after a large event held at the Multiplex ? How will this affect the property values of houses located in the heavy traffic zones of Royal Road / Tupper Street during construction and after the complex is completed.

Everybody has an opinion on this, let’s hear yours below.
You can also vote in the poll on the right hand side of the homepage