Arena gets the go-ahead

NNSL (Feb 27/98) - City council decided Thursday night to build a new twin-pad arena and community centre complex -- without asking for public approval.

No timetable for construction of the $9-million project was set at the meeting, but council agreed to build the complex on the site of the GNWT liquor warehouse, which will be sold to the city for $1.

Alderman actually thought they had approved a referendum on the project after a lengthy meeting Monday night, but a subsequent check of the meeting record showed they had only approved a secondary motion. Council adjourned and continued the debate Thursday evening.

Most of the people who spoke at Monday's meeting opposed the arena and Ald. Ben McDonald said taking the question to a public vote was an abrogation of council's responsibility.

On Thursday, however, a referendum was dropped from the agenda after city clerk Tim Mercer, citing a territorial statute, told council "we don't have the authority to do that."

Council then approved a $2.5-million debenture for the arena, plus $100,000 debenture for a grant to the Side Door to fund a new youth centre.