Sudbury City Council concerned about LPAT, delays to Kingsway Entertainment District

There was a lively debate Tuesday night at SudburyCity Council, over a motion to expedite the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) for the Kingsway Entertainment District (KED).

City councillor Robert Kirwanbrought the motion forward, whichrequested that mayor Brian Bigger "request assistance from the Premier of Ontarioto reduce or avoid additional delays regarding the adjudication of the Kingsway Entertainment District appeals before the LPAT."

Kirwan, who has been in support of the KED since the beginning, says the motion was not asking for the Premier to interfere with any decisions, onlyto expedite the process.

"This is an important project for Sudbury and the longer it gets delayed, the longer we have to wait, the more the risk for some potential collateral damage that we're not anticipating," Kirwan said.

Several groups in the city have filed appeals with the LPAT, including Casino Free Sudbury and the Downtown Sudbury BIA.

Kirwan says it's their right to appeal the KED, however, he adds the LPATprocess itself is confusing and has been facing many delays. That isslowing any decisions for Sudbury's entertainment district.

"This particular case isof significant priority, not only to the City of Greater Sudbury,but to the entire northern Ontarioarea. And if the Premier can move things a little faster so that all parties can present their cases, that we can follow the rules that have been established, well lets do it as soon as we can to get a decision," hesaid.

Many councillors said they understood why Kirwan presented themotion, but also said the city had to respect the LPAT process.

"If I was bringing a motion, asking [mayor Brian Bigger]to go pound the tables at Queen's Park, it wouldn't be over an LPAT proceeding, I'll tell you that right now," councillor Fern Cormiersaid.

He added that there are more important issues in northern Ontario that the mayor could be requesting provincial assistance on.

"It might be over our district health units, it might be over cuts to education that are impacting us, it might be cuts to daycare and childcare that's impacting our budgets. It might be any of those things," Cormiersaid.

After some debate, councillor Kirwan's motion was defeated.