Chatham-Kent councillor Lauren Anderson brought in a successful motion at last night’s council meeting to have the municipality develop a plan to improve the Wheatley Arena, both in the short-term and long-term.
Anderson said after the downtown Wheatley gas explosion, the arena is the community’s only remaining public gathering spot. She said the community needs an accessible gathering space.
Anderson the Legion and Car Barn restaurant are no longer options for citizens to use after the explosion. She said the arena has accessibility issues.
“It’s 2023, I think that providing a space in the municipality that is accessible to everyone is important,” Anderson said.
Some councillors had issues prioritizing one arena over another, however Anderson said Wheatley is a special circumstance because there is no other public gathering spot other than the arena.
“I would never go out and ask for something that would put us above someone else,” Anderson said, noting the town needs something but doesn’t think it’s an unreasonable ask.
Councillor Michael Bondy said it’s fine to give priority to Wheatley and do them a favour, due to the special circumstances.
“Especially considering their downtown blew up,” Bondy said.
The goal of the improvements is to improve the accessibility, aesthetics, and overall experience of patrons using the arena.