The Reeve of Hanover says he is floored once again by Steinbach City Council's negotiation tactics.
Stan Toews is referring to City Council's idea of turning the Steinbach Aquatic Centre into a regional facility, by having Hanover share in operating costs. Toews says he learned about this on Steinbachonline.com, and says normally two sides do not negotiate through the media. But, he also questions whether City Council even knows what it means to think regionally.
Toews says earlier this year, a private group of investors approached Hanover wanting to build a large event centre. According to Toews, this group had been negotiating such a project with Steinbach for eight years. But after futile attempts, tried their pitch instead to Hanover Council.
He explains the plan was for a large centre, costing approximately $60 million and covering a footprint of about 40 acres. This complex would include two or three hockey rinks, a fieldhouse and there was also the idea of a large hotel chain putting a hotel there.
The group of investors pitched the idea of building the centre within Hanover, near the Steinbach border, where there would be ample room for parking and future expansion. Because it would be a regional facility, Toews says the event centre would be tax shared.
Hanover and Steinbach would be asked to provide $10 million each, with the remaining $40 million coming from private investors as well as potential funding from the upper levels of government.
He notes this private group assured Hanover that coming up with the necessary funds from community donations would not be an issue.
"Hanover Council was one hundred per cent on board," says Toews.
In fact, Toews says he met with Steinbach's Mayor, who also suggested he liked the idea.
But Toews says around mid-July, everything derailed, around the time that Steinbach City Council held its summer study session. Toews recalls the private group of investors reached out to Steinbach to set up a joint meeting with Hanover, and that is when Steinbach said they did not want Hanover at the table.
"They didn't even have the courtesy to give us a call, except saying that we were not invited to the meeting," notes Toews.
He says there was no reason provided for why Hanover was no longer a welcomed partner.
Toews says the idea is now dead in the water, even though an event centre is badly needed in the region, as there are no facilities in the southeast, outside Winnipeg for holding large conventions.
According to Toews, Hanover has tried for years to work regionally with the City of Steinbach. When it comes to fringe development, Toews says they just hit roadblocks.
"We are not the only municipality, the other neighbouring municipalities have the same issue," he points out. "They just don't seem to be a team player."
Toews says Hanover considers itself a good neighbour. He uses the example of the friendly annexation agreement signed between the two sides. Toews suggests it would be nice for Steinbach to now return the favour. Yet instead, he says Steinbach City Council announces through the media that they will be negotiating with Hanover about turning the Steinbach Aquatic Centre into a regional facility, with hopes of sharing the operating costs.
"We had no clue that this was coming," says Toews. "Until now, Steinbach's 'regional' definition is totally different from other communities."
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Sun, May 19, 12:00 PM
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