On Thursday evening, Hay River residents can inspect plans to transform the town’s recreation centre ahead of a planned plebiscite.
Work to improve the recreation centre would cost more than $20 million. The town would need a substantial loan to help pay for that.
A plebiscite on October 19 will ask residents if they are happy to accept a ‘modest’ tax increase in return for the upgraded recreation centre. The additional tax revenue would go toward financing some of the loan.
From 7pm on Thursday at the Don Stewart Recreation Centre, architects and town officials will go through their plans and put the case for going ahead with the project.
“We want to talk about the financial impacts – what the project is going to cost and what the impact on the average ratepayer is,” said architect Rod Kirkwood, from Stantec, a company working on the proposal.
“We want people to hear our and the town’s side of the story, and if they have any questions we’ll answer those.
“We’re going to be showing everyone the latest drawing and renderings, talking about the materials, and we hope to have an actual spectator’s seat for the new seating.
“We want to go over what people are going to be getting and how it is going to radically improve the quality of life in town, and become a real social hub.”
The plebiscite will take place on the same day that residents vote in municipal and federal elections.
