Thunder Bay event centre: Council not giving up yet

Thunder Bay will look for ways to make the proposed $114-million event centre eligible for federal funding.

Council voted Monday forcityadministration to report back in two months withways to save the project,which was shelvedlast month afterOttawa advised that the federal gas tax could not be used to fund a project that is meant to have a professional AHL team as its main tenant.

The city had hoped for $23 million from the federal government.

"I think it would be very unfair, not only to city council, administration, but to the community as a whole if we didn't explore every option to get back in the game," Mayor Keith Hobbs said.

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Hobbs wants to know if the proposalcan be tweaked to get federal approval, and a majority ofcouncillorsin attendanceagreed with him.

The mayor floated the idea that theLakeheadUniversityThunderwolvescouldbe the anchor tenant.

Hobbs said before the meeting thathe's looking for viable alternatives to the rejected plan because a new event centre will be critical to further economic development in the city.

Coun.TrevorGiertugasaid there's nothing to fear about looking into ways to get federal funding for the proposed event centre.

"We're not going to build anything tonight," he said. "We'rejust saying, 'Come back, the initial one isn't going to be appropriate, can you bring us something back that may be appropriate?'"

3 councillors opposed

Coun.LindaRydholm, who voted against the referral, said she still hasn't heard any solution beyond using thegas tax. Shesaid use of convention centres is declining across North America, and thefacility would be competing with existing venues in town.

Rydholmalso renewed her call for a plebiscite on the issue.

In the end, only she, LarryHebertand FrankPulliavoted against Hobbs's motion to get a report from city staff.

CouncillorsRebecca Johnson, BrianMcKinnonandAldoRubertowere absent.