InnisfilToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to 'PLAYING FIELD: The 'cold, harsh reality' of arena expansion,' published April 22.
Back in the day, the Massie family had a vision to bring major junior hockey to Barrie. We all packed the old Dunlop Arena until the first Colts game New Year's Eve at the newly opened Barrie Molson Centre.
All involved thought the rink might be too small to host an array of other events. The collaboration of local, provincial, federal governments had a relatively small amount of funds to build the arena. Mr. Massie Sr. spoke to a need for a bigger footprint that would attract all these other events.
The project rolled on as elected officials struggled to juggle the needs/funds across our growing city. This is the current dilemma now facing the new council regarding a possible renovation.
A 40-ish-million-dollar makeover serving both the Colts, addressing seating, along with additional services behind the scenes is up for discussion. At the rink, fans debate their concerns with our elected officials.
Forty-million dollars for upgrades is a huge chunk of money out of the city’s annual operating budget. Fix the roads, improve transit, hire more police officers. The taxpayers love their hockey, but in the end have other concerns.
Time will tell what side of the fence the current crop of council stand on going forward with this project.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda. These words ring true as I remember Mr. Massie Sr., his passion and vision to build it bigger back in the day.
Best wishes to all involved.
Larry MacDonald
Barrie