August 14, 2020

SO MUCH FOR FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES

BRACEBRIDGE — While provincial and federal governments are throwing money around and digging deeper into your pockets, they won’t be adding to their debts and deficits in the Heart of Muskoka.

It may cost the town a lot more, but Bracebridge civic officials vow to plow ahead with a new arena/library — some day — after help from upper tier governments failed to materialize.

Taxpayers will have to go it alone if they want without provincial and federal help.

So much for friends and an MPP in high places; and will Bracebridge taxpayers willingly foot a $50-million bill?

The town said this week that it got word from Ontario’s Ministry of Infrastructure that it’s application for funding under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) has not been nominated by the province to move forward for federal consideration.

The funding would have been used to support construction of the new Multi-Use Community Centre (MUCC) slated to commence in early next year.

The application, containing over $49.1 million in eligible project expenses, included a request for $36 million from upper levels of government.

The town has spent many years preparing for the MUCC and assembled an extremely thorough application, taking all due diligence measures and, it says, “gathering support throughout Bracebridge and the entire Muskoka community.”

The provincial assessment criteria included reviewing projects based on Community Need, Community Support, Lack of Similar Services Accessible Nearby, Operational/Financial Capacity, Value for Money, Asset Management Planning, whether projects were open to the public and efficiencies through joint projects.

The town says the province didn’t say why the project was not nominated.

“While I am deeply disappointed that the province did not move our project on to the next phase, I am very proud of council and staff for the incredible amount of work they have done in preparation for this opportunity,” said Mayor Graydon Smith.

“With over 1,700 pages of supporting documentation as part of our application, we left absolutely nothing on the table and little to chance; however, applications for funding by municipalities in Ontario exceeded available program funds, which always meant success would be difficult.”

Despite this setback, Smith says the town will continue to move forward on the development of the MUCC with its project management team (Colliers) and architects (MJMA).

The steering committee will continue to meet and look at next steps, including phasing portions of the project.

“From day one we have realized that this is a large, complex plan with many variables, so we have developed multiple options to allow us to keep moving forward,” said Smith. “Funding talks will continue with Government and Private sources to ensure that Bracebridge has a facility which will be transformative and beneficial for the entire community and beyond.”