October 2009

By Tara Seel, city editor of The Daily Graphic

On the island. Off the island. Keep Centennial Arena open. Close Centennial Arena. Pave the parking lot. Don’t pave the parking lot. The Portage Credit Union Centre has touched a lot of raw nerves in this city, but there is one base fact that can’t be ignored. It is happening. Lamenting decisions that could’ve or should’ve been made is fruitless at this point.

The PCU Centre, at this point in time, seems to be bleeding money, a fact that must have city officials concerned, even refusing the pleas of an organized group of citizens. At the council meeting on Oct. 26, delegations appeared to plea for the chance to keep Centennial Arena as an operating ice surface. City councillors and the mayor were having none of it. In fact, they said that decision was made when they committed to building the PCU Centre.

It is lamentable that minor hockey is short of ice time. It is frustrating that figure skaters and rec leagues can’t get on the ice often enough. The feeling of these groups that their concerns about ice time, which were voiced well before ground was broken on the PCU Centre, have been ignored is valid. The two sheets of ice at Centennial Arena and the ice surface in Oakville serve a regional population of 20,000 people. It’s not enough. Basically, the problem of having only two city ice surfaces, and ice in Oakville has been surplanted with still having only two city ice surfaces serving the same amount of people — just in a different location.

That being said, it seems many citizens in this city want to have their cake and eat it, too. In the last four years, the city has increased funding for recreation by 232 per cent. Granted, much of this is going to the PCU Centre, but this is the mandate that was given to council by the electorate. This city wanted a multiplex. When costs were getting out of control, the city tried to cut back, eliminating the second arena and a pool. However, there was some outcry because people felt if the multiplex was to be built, it should be done right — with everything the community needed, which meant two ice surfaces. The city gained federal funding and acquiesced, reinstating the second ice surface — the Portage Mutual Arena.

The city’s debt is astronomical at present. Portage la Prairie’s general reserves went from $4,495,484 in 2006 to an estimated $1,985,312 for 2010. The fact of the matter is there is no more money. The city cannot afford a free lunch at this point, never mind keep a third ice surface open.

The Portage Minor Hockey Association delegation to city council presented a business plan saying they could keep Centennial Arena operational for $79,000 plus a higher cost to user groups. The plan covered how user groups could do much-needed repairs to the ailing arena. But, the city would still have to shell out money. The city budgets $466,339 in expenses to run the arena, only receives $234,700 in revenues, which means a net deficit of $231,324. The upgrades and repairs required for Centennial Arena over the next 2-3 years is approximately $780,500 for both sheets, in addition to the cost of the purchase of another ice resurfacer, estimated to cost $50,000-$100,000. The Rural Municipality of Portage’s agreement creating the Portage Regional Recreation Authority states the RM’s funding is limited to two sheets of ice in the city, plus grant funding to the Oakville Arena. The running of Centennial Arena, then, would fall solely to the user groups and the city. That cost is not an option right now.

Has the city been completely forthcoming about expenditures and budgets relating to the PCU Centre? No, it hasn’t. Has the city made all the right decisions when it comes to the PCU Centre? No, it hasn’t. Regardless of what one thinks of the PCU Centre, one thing is clear. The money is spent — a fact the community needs to accept.

Tara Seel is the city editor of The Daily Graphic.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2154744

Oct 2009

The old home of the Portage Terriers and other local sports team is to be shut down.

Despite pleas from various minor sports groups, Portage la Prairie city council decided at its regular meeting Monday to decommission the Portage Centennial Arena (PCA) as an ice arena and consider other uses for it once the Portage Credit Union Centre is completed.

“I’m obviously disappointed,” said Nancy Brooks, with the Portage Minor Hockey Association (PMHA), in an interview. “I’m seriously disappointed.”

Brooks was one of four delegations at the meeting to try to convince council to keep at least one sheet of ice open at the PCA as all ice-based minor sports in the city are in dire need of ice time, and three sheets would help alleviate that situation.

Brooks presented council with a business plan to keep the west rink of the PCA open for 17 weeks out of the year with two options — the first costing about $79,000 and the second costing about $70,500.

The plan did acknowledge that to run the rink, the city would have to charge more to user groups, but that cost would be evened out for families by not having to travel as much for games and practices.

But the city simply can’t afford to keep any part of the PCA running once the PCU Centre is open, Mayor Ken Brennan said.

He told the delegates that shortly after the current council was elected, they sat down and had a serious discussion as to whether they would actually try to bring a multiplex to the city, and when they committed to it, they knew they would have to make sacrifices like not being able to introduce any other major projects or expenditures for many years to come, such as paving Park Drive or repaving Fifth Street S.E.

“We can’t do that; we have no money,” he said.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2148704

Budget overruns mean more borrowing for the Portage Credit Union Centre.

Portage la Prairie city council passed first reading of a bylaw to authorize the borrowing of up to $1.8 million more for Phase 1 of the building, which includes the main arena, aquatic and fitness centres, and banquet rooms.

“Cost estimates for the construction of the project have changed now from $35.7 million to $37 million,” Coun. Dave Quinn read from a Finance, Legislative and Property Committee report. “The city’s share of the project cost has therefore increased from $16 million to $17.3 million.”

The original funding arrangement for the city’s share was $10.1 million of borrowed money and the other $5.9 million coming from the city’s reserves, Quinn continued.

Along with the increases, it was recommended by administration to reduce the strain on the city’s reserves by $400,000. That would make the city’s share of the funding $11.8 million from borrowed money and $5.5 million from reserves.

The proposed borrowing means a borrowing bylaw for the additional debt and an amendment to the 2009 financial plan. A public hearing is required for the amendment and will take place on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. prior to council’s next meeting.

The borrowing bylaw requires approval from Manitoba’s Municipal Board before it can be given second and third reading.

This pushes the total cost of the entire building, including the Portage Mutual Arena, to just over $41 million.

The city has already used up the original contingency fund for the project, which was $1.75 million, Quinn said, and this additional $1.8 million would act as a second contingency fund.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2148703

Oct 2009

Budget over runs mean more borrowing for the Portage Credit Union Centre.

City of Portage la Prairie council passed first reading of a bylaw to authorize the borrowing of up to $1.8 million more if necessary for Phase 1 of the building, which includes the main arena, aquatics, fitness and banquet rooms.

“Cost estimates for the construction of the project has changed now from $35.7 million to $37 million,” Coun. Dave Quinn read from a Finance, Legislative and Property Committee report. “The city’s share of the project cost has therefore increased from $16 million to $17.3 million.”

The original funding arrangement for the city’s share was $10.1 million of borrowed money and $5.9 million coming from the city’s reserves, Quinn continued.

But with the increases, it is recommended by administration to reduce the reserve funding by $400,000 to reduce the burden on the city’s reserves.

That would make the city’s share of the funding $11.8 million from borrowed money and $5.5 million from reserves.

“The additional $1.8 million in debt is required since $10 million in debt has already been issued,” Quinn outlined.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2147776

Sept 2009

The old home of the Portage Terriers and other local sports team is to be shut down.

Despite pleas from various minor sports groups, City of Portage la Prairie council decided at their regular meeting Monday to decommission the Portage Centennial Arena (PCA) as an ice arena and consider other uses for it.

“I’m obviously disappointed,” Nancy Brooks, with the Portage Minor Hockey Association said in an interview. “I’m seriously disappointed.”

Brooks was one of four delegations at the meeting to try and convince council to keep at least one sheet of ice open at the PCA as all ice-based minor sports in the city are in dire need of ice time and three sheets would help alleviate that situation.

Brooks presented council with a business plan created by Shane Moffatt to keep the west rink of the PCA open for 17 weeks out of the year with two options, the first costing about $79,000 and the second costing about $70,500.

The plan did acknowledge that to run the rink, the city would have to charge more to user groups but that cost would be evened out by not having to travel as much for games and practices.

The plan even covered how user groups could do much-needed repairs to the ailing PCA.

Mostly, Brooks said, she just wanted council to try and work together with the user groups to come up with some kind of plan for a third ice surface in the city.

“I would’ve liked to see city and community get together,” she said.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2147740

Sept 2009

Utility rate hikes proposed by the City of Portage la Prairie are going to cost the city’s biggest industries big dollars.

Sewer rates are set to rise by nine per cent per year for domestic usage and 13 per cent for commercial usage while water rates are set to rise by one per cent for domestic and intermediate usage and three per cent for heavy usage.

The proposed increases are to help out with the province’s mandate that the city perform nutrient removal from its wastewater to help cut down on pollution in Lake Winnipeg.

For Simplot, the water rate increase means a lot of money as the company’s entire operation uses water.

“It’s in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in the next few years,” unit director Chris Tompkins said.

Tompkins said Simplot uses about 1 million gallons of water per day. That equals about 3,785,400 litres.

Tompkins, who has already met with city manager Dale Lyle, operations manager for the city Kelly Braden and director of finance for the city Nettie Neudorf, said he expects the Public Utilities Board to hold a public hearing on the rate hikes, which he will attend.

He also added that it’s difficult for the business to further cut down on its water usage as it already makes every effort to be as efficient as possible with its water usage.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2140495

Sept 2009

With a preliminary operating budget already done, and two new aquatic wheelchairs ready to go, much progress has been made in getting the PCU Centre ready to roll when it finally opens.

The Portage Regional Recreation Authority Inc. (PRRA) has been busy since it formed, with representation from both the Rural Municipality and City of Portage la Prairie, as it prepares to operate the PCU Centre when it opens.

“There is a lot of things that have happened, and it was only in August that the PRRA became an official functioning board,” said Reeve Toby Trimble, following the Portage RM council on Tuesday.

At its meeting, RM council received an updated report on the progress of the PRRA’s work.

The report, prepared by city Coun. Janet Shindle, who is chairwoman of PRRA, indicated work has been done negotiating phone and Internet services for the PCU Centre, as well as canteen proposals. A draft operating budget has also been sent to the city and RM councils for approval.

Funding for two aquatic wheelchairs is being provided by the Rick Hansen Foundation.

Trimble said the donation of the aquatic wheelchairs was “great news.”

The reeve explained the PRRA now meets every week to go over policies and establish fees and procedures of the operation of the PRRA.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1765534

August 2009

The Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie devoted a moment of silence before council’s meeting on Aug. 11 in memory of Coun. Ray Davidson and Carl Suderman, a public works employee for the RM, who died earlier this month.

PRRA gets go ahead

A bylaw to establish the Portage Regional Recreation Authority (PRRA), which will be responsible for the PCU Centre, received second and third reading at council on Aug. 11.

“This is the point that we wanted to be,” said Reeve Toby Trimble after the meeting. “(With) the Portage Regional Recreation Authority, we now have authority to sign the agreement with the city to officially put that authority in place.”

The RM representation on the PRRA consists of RM citizen Doug Simpson and, from the RM of Portage council: Reeve Toby Trimble and councillors Owen Williams and Garth Asham.

At council meeting, Coun. Terry Simpson inquired about the future of some recreation facilities in the RM, such as the community hall in Oakland, and a curling rink in Edwin, and wanted to make sure they would be able to continue to be viable after the PRRA was formed.

The RM currently provides funds for these facilities’ operating costs from a grant through the RM’s Hextall fund, which supports local community clubs in the RM area, included in the RM annual budget.

Some recreation clubs also assisted by the Hextall fund include clubs in Oakville, Poplar Point, High Bluff, and St. Ambroise.

RM council will make a recommendation to the PRRA on what community clubs should be funded, and the PRRA will be responsible for that funding.

Simpson also asked if a group wanted to take over the existing Centennial Arena after it is no longer in use would that be a possibility?

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Once the second rink in the PCU Centre is complete, however, the PRRA would not continue to fund this facility.

Funds received for infrastructure work

The Portage RM has more green after it was revealed at the Aug. 11 council meeting more money has been received for infrastructure work through the Building Manitoba Fund.

A payment of $208,670 was received in this instalment. The first instalment came in at $45,890, for a total amount received of about $254,500 from Manitoba Intergovernmental Affairs. The RM budgeted for $240,000, so it was a nice surprise to see the amount come in higher than expected.

RCMP report crime down

There was a little bit of good news for RM council when Portage RCMP Sgt. Rob McCarville presented the local police detachment’s crime report statistics for rural Portage.

“The numbers … were fairly consistent in July, as it was in July of last year,” McCarville said.

He noted the total numbers were down by about 20 per cent in July compared to June figures.

“We’re quite pleased with that,” said McCarville.

In July, the total calls received were 138, down from 142 at the same time in 2008. That number was also significantly lower than June when the RCMP received 189 reports.

Property crime was significantly lower in July with only nine reports, compared to 29 at the same time in 2008. In June, there were eight reports, slightly below the July figures.

Vehicle thefts showed a decline in July with only two reports, compared to five at the same time last year. In June, there were three reports of auto thefts.

Trimble was overall favourable toward the latest RCMP report.

“Comparing the numbers of July of 2009 and July of 2008, the totals are fairly consistent, although last year there was a lot more property crime,” he said.

“As it was indicated by one of our councillors, the RCMP presence in the rural area, whether it is during the day or at night, I think is a deterrent. So the numbers on property crime for both June and July of this month are fairly consistent, whether last year was just a busy month, I am not sure.”

Time for repairs

There will be some new asphalt work on the go in the RM of Portage.

At its Aug. 11 meeting, council accepted a quote from Maple Leaf Construction, a Winnipeg firm, for asphalt repairs on Yellowquill Trail, located near the water treatment plant in the Rural Municipality of Portage, at a cost of $8,500.

Maple Leaf Construction had the lowest of the tenders received.

Gravel cost approved

More gravel for the RM will soon be coming down the road.

RM council approved a bid from Gravier Collet Gravel Inc., a firm located in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, for the purchase of gravel at $5.75 per tonne. About 3,000 tonnes of gravel was purchased at a cost of about $18,000.

The gravel will be used to make road improvements in Ward 3, in the area southwest of Portage.

Turning on the island lights funding

There will be lights sparkling in Portage’s Island Park again this winter.

At its meeting, council approved providing a grant of $1,000 as sponsorship for the 2009-10 Manitoba Hydro Island of Lights in Island Park in Portage.

RM helps illuminate Oakville area

RM council is helping Oakville see the light.

Council passed a resolution to authorize Manitoba Hydro to install six street lights in a new subdivision being developed in the area at the north end of Oakville.

Trimble noted two new homes are being built already in the new subdivision.

A total of 20 lots have been developed in the area for the project, complete with water and sewer connections. Both new houses and second-hand houses can be accommodated on the lots, but trailers are not permitted. Six lots have already been sold on the site.

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August 2009

The murky future of the Southport Recreation Centre should be more clear late in the year, an official said.

With the Portage Credit Union Centre, which will offer many of the same amenities that the Southport Recreation Centre does, set to open next year, there are question marks surrounding the facility in Southport.

“Right now, we’re not sure (about the future of the facility),” Southport CEO Barry Feller said.

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1714618

August 2009

The body that will eventually govern the Portage Credit Union Centre and other recreation facilities around the city has almost officially been created.

City of Portage la Prairie council gave first reading to a bylaw to establish the Portage Regional Recreation Authority (PRRA) at their regular meeting Monday.

Council is holding a special meeting today to give that same bylaw second and third reading.

“The purpose of forming a regional recreation authority would be for the delivery of recreation services and facility management for residents of both the City and Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie,” Coun. Jeff Bereza read from a Recreation and Community Services Committee report during the meeting.

The PRRA will be responsible for the management and funding support of: The PCU Centre, the west ice surface of the Portage Centennial Arena until it is decommissioned once the Portage Mutual Arena is added onto the PCU Centre, Splash Island, Republic of Manitobah Park, Beaver Stadium, North Memorial ball diamonds, recreational programming and special events and city recreation support grants.

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