Wellness Centre means progress for county

To the Editor:
Mention the new Wellness Center (presently under construction) and one is pretty much assured of a lively conversation to follow.
The Center will consist of two full sized ice surfaces, a swimming pool walking track, gym and ‘workout’ facilities. The pool, gym and ‘workout’ equipment will be run by the YMCA.
Some facts:
Total cost – $37 million, Federal -$ 11 million, Provincial – $11 million, Municipal – $9 million, Community – $3 million, YMCA – $3 million.
Responsible for losses over $200,000: New Glasgow 35.4 %, County 25.5%, Stellarton 29.6%, Trenton 5.5%, Westville N/A and Pictou 4 %.
Losses up to $200,000 will be covered by the property deed transfer tax as will the nine million dollars committed by New Glasgow, County, Stellarton, Trenton and Pictou to help build the facility. Income from the property deed transfer tax is on target as is the building budget. Expected opening date is December, 2012. Ice costs per hour? Not known.
Would the Center have gone ahead without Pictou’s participation? Yes, but Pictou raised the question of what else could and should be regionalized and this led to the Pictou Pool being taken over and funded by the YMCA at the Wellness Center. This will save the Town of Pictou fifty to eighty thousand dollars a year.
The Center’s Board of Directors is composed of the Mayors of Pictou, Stellarton, Trenton and New Glasgow and the Chairperson is the Warden of the County of Pictou.
An important component of the Wellness Center agreement is that a new emergency department and pharmacy will be built at the Aberdeen Hospital. The planning for these two projects is now underway.
Will the new Center lose money? Yes it will! Almost 100% of all rinks and pools do. That is why such facilities are built and run by governments. Quite a number of rinks are able to pay their every day operating costs but when you look at building such a facility, repairing the building and new equipment (all Capital costs) it is pretty much impossible for revenue to cover these costs.
For seventeen years, I have been closely associated with the Hector Arena and we covered operating costs for all of those years but to cover repairs, new equipment and renovations we had to fund and raise roughly an additional $800,000. Think about that! And we now need a new roof and floor. To replace the Hector Arena would cost eight million dollars. Also, at some point, infrastructure has to be renewed. The Stellarton rink is 65 years old, New Glasgow, 60 years, and they both look it. Westville is hanging in there. Pictou, 40 years old, looks okay but needs very major repairs, Trenton overall has the best facility and Thorburn is what it is. Only Pictou and New Glasgow have regular sized ice surfaces. The other four are undersized.
Also, if we in Pictou County, are going to attract new industries, people and families to move (or stay) and work here, we have to have modern recreational facilities, good schools and entertainment venues. In order to compete in an extremely competitive world, the new Wellness Center is an ongoing piece of the puzzle. It also means progress and renewal, all necessary for better everyday living in Pictou County.
Bob Naylor
Pictou Town Councillor