Elliot Lake changing course on plans for new arts and sports centres

After falling short in its bid for Ontario government funding, Elliot Lake is being forced to aim a little lower as it plans new multi-million-dollar arts and sports centres. 

On Monday night, plans to replace the Lester B. Pearson arts centre— which was demolished in 2019 after part of the roof collapsed under a heavy snow load— with a new $19 million arts hub were officially shelved.

Instead, Elliot Lake city council is going to take some of the $4 million insurance pay out, plus $750,000 in FedNor funding, and spend $3.6 million fixing up an old downtown movie theatre.

"In Elliot Lake, we can have anything we want. We just have to be willing to pay for it," said city councillor Tom Turner. 

"And if we're not willing to pay for it, then we have to go back to patching running shoes."

"This is not the solution we wanted to come to at the end of the day, but I think it's the best solution we have at hand," said city councillor Sandy Finamore, who lashed out at the lack of support from the province. 

"I don't know what we have to do to ask them to not to ignore us any longer. They just handed money out in Sault Ste. Marie that wasn't even asked for. I'm not sure how we get on that list, but if anyone knows, please let us know." 

While most around the council table said they didn't want to give up on the idea of one day building a permanent arts centre, Elliot Lake city councillor Chris Patrie argued they could still do it sooner rather than later. 

He pushed for a minimal amount to be spent on the "temporary" arts hub in the old movie theatre and to keep lobbying the provincial government for funding. 

"It's really hard to sit at the table and everyone says this is not the right thing to do, but we're going to do it," said Patrie, who is running for mayor this fall. 

"So I agree with all of you, we have to get this done. We should have done this two years ago."

If the arts hub ever does eventually go ahead, it may not be on the site of the former Pearson Centre, as originally planned.

With some interest from the private sector, Elliot Lake city council voted this week to declare the property surplus. 

City staff suggest that the empty lot where the Algo Centre mall once stood could be a possible location for an arts hub.

The mall was demolished soon after its roof collapsed in 2012 and the land was purchased by the city in 2019 for $950,000.

Plans had called for a new recreation centre to be built there, but the city is now looking instead at building on the site of the existing Centennial Arena.

Elliot Lake Mayor Dan Marchisella says a new arena could run as much as $14 million and the city would be "lucky" if the 54-year-old Centennial rink "lasts three or four."

He said he'd be in favour of the city selling off the old mall site just three years after buying it, but said that will be a decision for the next council, which he hopes to lead after the October municipal election.