Discussions about a potential OHL team in Chatham-Kent and the future of local arenas continues to hang over Chatham-Kent Council.
Ward Six councillor Michael Bondy introduced a notice of motion at last week’s meeting, calling for an Arena Oversight Committee to be established before any new arena project is considered or advanced.
Council approved the Parks and Recreation Master Plan in December, which includes plans for a multi-use recreation complex featuring a minimum of two ice pads.
Interest in a potential new arena has grown following an informal meeting in March with OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford.
Bondy is also requesting that any feasibility study present a full range of options for council consideration. These would include taking no action, refurbishing Memorial Arena with a second ice pad, constructing a new twin-pad facility, or building a larger OHL-sized arena with additional community ice surfaces. He is also asking that each option include a 30-year tax levy estimate.
In addition, Bondy wants any feasibility study to assess how a new arena investment could impact long-term funding for existing municipal arenas. He is also calling for no reductions in arena services until the study is completed and approved by council.
The notice of motion will be considered at council’s next meeting on April 27.
