The Multiplex/Convention Centre debate has been narrowed down to two
locations. There is Innova Park, the location that has the largest
support among the people and the Water Street site, which is the one
favoured by City Administration. The problem City Admin has is to make
their preordained location more palatable to the great unwashed known
as commonly as taxpayers. The idea is not to change the people’s minds
but to make the inevitable consultant’s recommendation of the Water
Street location easier to defend in the media.
The main weakness of the Water Street location is the lack of parking
spaces nearby. The key is to minimize this weakness or eliminate it
completely. How?
Evidently, I believe the City of Thunder Bay is in the process of
purchasing properties around the the proposed Water Street site. This
action is, of course, top secret. The Shoreline Motor Hotel deal is
almost finalized. Are they making other businesses in the area offers
they cannot refuse? On Deck? Stan’s Pizza? The Cumberland Cinema? The
Lyceum Building? The Branch 5 Legion? There are many
buildings/businesses that can be picked up for a song. Cheap.
Of course, turning the downtown north core into one giant parking lot
will cost millions of dollars. Millions of dollars that will not find
their way into the calculations of the cost of constructing the
Multiplex/Convention Centre on Water Street.
Make no mistake. The consultant will recommend the Water Street site.
The decision has been already made. You can see it in the way City
Admin is pushing that choice. Defending that choice in the media.
So if the Water Street location will not end up being the cheapest and
City Admin is buying out area businesses to turn into parking lots,
then what reason is left for constructing the facility in the north
core? Could it be that the real reason for building it on Water
Street has nothing to do with price or helping north core businesses?
Could there be another reason that is not being discussed?
I believe that the City of Thunder Bay Administration/Council will
spend and do whatever it takes to make Prince Arthur’s Landing a
success. And I mean anything.
