Aquarena subsidy a bargain, city councillor says

A city councillor in St. John's says he will fight tomaintain an annual grant for the Aquarena swimming complex, while another councillor says the expense is unwarranted.

The city spends $150,000 annually on the Aquarena, a former city propertythat was turned over several years ago to a non-profit board affiliated with Memorial University, which runs a wider recreation complex called the Works.

At this Monday's council meeting, Sandy Hickman had attempted to present a motion to retain the subsidy, but was told to wait until upcoming budget debates.

Council is trying to find $6 million in savings to offset a projected 2008 deficit.

Hickman said the Aquarena line item presents very good value for a recreation facility that widely serves the public, and not just the university community.

He said the city could not afford to "build a new facility or have another 50-metre pool with a small tank for youth and children to play in," and reaps plenty of civic benefits.

"[The city] doesn't have to build a new facility it just needs to show support for it, and it gets off fairly cheaply in my opinion," Hickman, the council's representative on the board of the Works, told CBC News.

Most councillors contacted by CBC News said they are waiting for an upcoming budgeting process to discuss whether the Aquarena should still be funded.

But Coun. Ron Ellsworth said his opposition to the subsidy is based on a business case. He also said other municipalities in the northeast Avalon Peninsula are getting off easy.

"It's a regional facility providing a regional service, so why aren't they going to other municipalities and getting this money that's needed?"

The board running the Aquarena has been asking pool users tosend councillors letters of protest.

Council will decide on whether to renew its subsidy before Christmas.