Hamilton considers new community centre

Hamilton city councillors met Thursday to discuss funding a $17 million recreation centre next to a high school at the site of the new Pan Am stadium.

With the old Ivor Wynne rebuilt for the Pan Am Games, the plan is to build a new high school along with a city recreation and seniors complex right beside Ivor Wynne. The school board says they have $32 million to build a high school by 2016, and wanted a decision from the city this month about the recreation centre.

The rec. centre would cost the city $17 million, but councillors say they’re feeling bullied by the school board deadline, and are holding off on making a decision. The council voted Thursday to delay consideration of the recreation centre until possibly September, despite the school board’s request to have an agreement by August.

Tim Simmons, the school board chair says they aren’t happy with the city’s decision,  “We’re disappointed. Like I said we’re going to have to look at our timelines, that hard timeline the ministry gave us to be open September 2016. If things are delayed past August that’s going to put more pressure on us to make sure we can that meet that timeline.”

Mayor Bob Bratina says they’re being asked to commit to a project that may not happen, with money they don’t have.

The councillors were handed a signed memorandum of agreement with the school board in the middle of their debate. Councillor Brad Clark says they’ll rip apart that agreement before they debate it again.