BARRHEAD - If the Town of Whitecourt proceeds with its proposed plan to build a new cultural and convention centre, it will in all likelihood, proceed without the financial support of Woodlands County, at least if recent comments from Woodlands County councillors are any indication.
On Feb. 16, an ad-hoc steering committee for the building of the arts centre, represented by chair Norm Hodgson, Town of Whitecourt community services director Chelsea Grande and Whitecourt and Woodlands Performing Arts Society representative Barb Maddigan, made a presentation to council, which was accepted as information.
The price tag for the facility (to be built in downtown Whitecourt), which would also include a new library and municipal administration office for the town, is estimated at $59.5 million.
Approximately 54 per cent or $32 million of the combined building would be funded by various government grants, including a $15.6 million Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). The Town of Whitecourt would contribute $10.1 million through a debenture, another $7.1 million would come from municipal partnerships and $2.6 million would come from sponsorships. The remaining $7.7 million would come from reserves and the sale of assets.
Hodgson noted the ICIP grant was time-sensitive saying, "if nothing happened in 2022, the grant's terms would lapse."
The arts and convention centre portion is pegged at about $41.7 million.
Hodgson noted discussion about a cultural events centre started in 2008 as part of the ACE (active, creative, engagement) public sessions, which asked the public what amenities the community was missing.
"The process identified a cultural and events centre as the number one priority," Hodgson said.
He noted in subsequent years, additional surveys and needs assessments were conducted, with all of them pointing towards the community benefits of having a cultural and convention centre.
Hodgson referred to a 2015 Survey Monkey Internet poll where 84 per cent of respondents strongly supported the concept of the culture and events centre, with 75 per cent supporting a tax increase to build and operate such a facility.
"Services are important to families," he said. "If we want families to move to Whitecourt and the region, we need to have the services that meet their needs. Right now, we are heavy into sports and recreation, with fantastic facilities in both the town and Woodlands County. But what about the attraction and retention of those who are interested in other things, like the arts?"
Hodgson, who is a pharmacist, added he knew of two doctors the community lost due to a lack of these amenities. The first who decided to leave Whitecourt after five years for Spruce Grove and a second prospective doctor chose another community, both due to the lack of arts and culture events for their children.
"We also believe it will be a driver for industry helping to bring and create jobs in the region," he said. "This is a facility that will set us apart from all other communities in the area from Grande Prairie to Edmonton ... the centre will reinvigorate the economy for the entire region at the tail end of this pandemic."
Maddigan agreed, saying the centre would allow the region to bring in everything from conventions to entertainment acts that are now only accessible to area residents in the city.
Grande interjected that the committee estimates the cultural convention centre portion of the project will have an approximate $400,000 annual operational deficit. An additional 35 per cent or $30,000 would also be added to the Whitecourt Library's operating budget.
Traditionally the county has contributed to the Whitecourt Public Library. However, recently, the amount has become a bone of contention between the two municipalities along with several other funding arrangements. To help resolve these issues the municipalities entered arbitration. The arbitrator released her 172-page report on Feb. 3.
Hodgson added the cultural centre would also expand the educational and future career opportunities that currently do not exist or are "extremely limited" for area youth.
Anselmo Coun. Dave Kusch suggested the construction costs might no longer be accurate given recent inflation trends.
"Lumber has tripled in the last three years, steel has doubled in the last two years," he said, adding that if the design of the facility was created between 20016-2018, the numbers are no longer viable.
Hodgson replied the costing the facility's construction is up to date as of the end of January.
Goose Lake/Freeman Coun. Peter Kuelken said it would be difficult to make any kind of decision without knowing the asset management lifecycle costs.
"When you are looking at a $41.7 million investment, what often is used is 10 per cent over the life cycle of the building to keep it the facility we would continue to expect," he said. "Is that $4 million that would be needed to be put into a fund included in the financial picture because that is something any municipal partner would be concerned about?"
Grande replied that lifecycle contributions begin in year four of the cultural and events centre and the one for the library already exists, noting it starts at $15,000 and increases every year from there.
Whitecourt Central Coun. Alan Deane asked if the committee considered a phased approach, building each component separately to help ease the sticker shock.
Grande said it would be difficult as the buildings are intertwined and building them as standalone facilities or in phases would add to the overall costs.
Kusch was not sure a cultural and convention centre was necessary, saying other facilities in Whitecourt are underutilized, noting the Interpretive Centre and the Allan and Jean Millar Centre, has hosted concerts seating upwards of 900 to 1,500 people. The proposed cultural centre theatre would seat 600. He also said several of Whitecourt's hotels have conference facilities.
"The short and skinny answer is the order of scale," Hodgson replied. "I know people who have taken their wedding out of Whitecourt as there is not a facility large enough. The town gets 10 to 15 calls a year about conferences, but we cannot accommodate them. With this facility, we could host the (Global Energy Show), now held in Calgary and Grande Prairie with 600 delegates."
Kusch also questioned what benefit the facility would have for the county, noting any industry it might attract would be within the town boundary.
"No, the industry will be in Woodlands County and the people employed will live in Whitecourt and the county. That's the benefit," Hodgson replied.
"As well as increased professional services in Whitecourt such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, and so forth that Woodlands County residents take advantage of," Grande added.
Reeve John Burrows questioned why the committee was approaching the county, noting in 2018, they drafted a letter stating they could not participate in the project.
He also noted in 2017, during a joint town-county council meeting, several versions of the facility were presented, with varying price tags.
"At no time did I hear any type of involvement from this council or see any versions of this coming out. Now we have this $60 million facility, and it seems like it is the only option," he said. "I'm not sure what we missed."
Grande replied that the project was presented at a joint council meeting in 2018. She noted it was also at a May 2018 Woodlands County meeting.
