Divorce proceedings to begin over Powassan Sportsplex

by Laurel Campbell

Apr 02, 2008

NIPISSING – The last threads of a municipal marriage, one that 30 years ago produced the Sportsplex arena facility in Powassan, have come unravelled. Only the terms of the divorce decree are left to finalize.

During a March 28 meeting between members of Nipissing and Powassan councils, Nipissing Mayor Wendy Billingsley said “our partnership in the Sportsplex has certainly had its ups and downs. We’ve had some really good times, and times that weren’t so good. After everything has been discussed by council, Nipissing has decided we’re going to ask for a divorce.”

Powassan Mayor Bob Young had indicated that the future of the partnership agreement, due to be renewed this year, “is entirely in Nipissing’s hands. If you opt out, Powassan will live with that, and I don’t think we’ll have a problem with it. It’s been a long relationship, but like any relationship it has also had its problems.”

The partnership between the two municipalities that jointly-fund and operate the Sportsplex, has been travelling a rocky road for the past five years. In 2003 Chisholm Township pulled its support for the facility when the arena’s $20,000 deficit increased municipal contributions beyond that township’s budget. Originally a four-way agreement between the Town of Powassan and the townships of Himsworth South, Nipissing and Chisholm, the partnership agreement was rewritten in 2006 after over a year of verbal wrangling between the two remaining partners (Himsworth South having amalgamated with Powassan and Trout Creek in 2000). At that time it was agreed that Nipissing’s financial contribution would be 25 per cent of the annual Sportsplex budget, but that the board of directors would have equal representation with Powassan and Nipissing both having two board members.

That arrangement has not always sat well with Powassan councillors who felt the municipality’s 75 percent financial responsibility for the facility should include an additional seat at the board table.

With Nipissing’s contribution to this year’s Sportplex operation billed at about $25,000 Billinglsey said it was not realistic for Nipissing to continue in the partnership when less than a dozen of the communities young people were involved in minor hockey and figure skating.

While the decision on whether or not to continue the recreational marriage was left solely in the hands of Nipissing council, the divorce arrangements are entirely up to Powassan. According to the current agreement, Nipissing cannot pull out of the partnership before December of 2009. However, Young indicated at the meeting that Powassan council may decide to finalize the divorce at the end of this year, or possibly sooner. He also pointed out “there will be no buy-out.”

Nipissing Councillor Kalvin Young had mused during a meeting last month that if the Sportsplex was valued at $1 million, Nipissing could be looking at $250,000 in the building’s equity.

Powassan council is expected to make its decision on dispending the agreement at its April 1 council meeting. While meeting this year’s Sportplex budget requirements will be one consideration facing Powassan council, Young said he was “happy with Nipissing’s decision. It certainly makes it more workable for us to solely operate the Sportsplex. We’re a much larger municipality now than when the agreement was first struck in 1978 and we really should have our own facility.”

Once the partnership with Nipissing is dissolved, the Municipality of Powassan expects to move forward with recommendations in its Recreation Plan to amalgamate the Sportsplex board with the recreation committee.

“I think this will mean a more efficient and improved recreation program for the municipality,” said Young.

Powassan councillor Gerry Giesler, chair of the recreation committee, said “combining the two boards, although a recommendation in our Recreation Plan, would never have been possible as long as the partnership with Nipissing remained in place. Amalgamating the boards will give us increased recreation services, more volunteers to draw from and a larger joint budget, as well as a savings in municipal staffing. It could also open the doors for more funding.”

The first step is for the recreation committee to produce a business plan for the creation of the new joint committee “so we know if it’s feasible and where the financial savings will be. But we really can’t do anything until the current Sportsplex agreement is over,” Giesler said.

Billingsley said that Nipissing’s decision to pull out of the Sportsplex marriage “will not affect our recreation program whatsoever. Our residents are still going to play hockey, figure skate and curl there. We’ve haven’t lost access to the building. Now we’ll be able to put that 25 per cent that went toward the Sportsplex budget directly toward our own recreation programming and address some of the important recreation needs we have right here.”

She said she was happy to let Powassan make the determination on when the current agreement could be terminated, but was also adamant that “as long as Nipissing is still paying, we’re going to be taking an active role around the Sportsplex board table.”