So we now have a Business Plan (click here for the Plan) for the proposed Milton Velodrome and I have little doubt that Council will take this Business Plan and use it as shelter to support staff in their recommendation to proceed with the proposal and to sign up for the Velodrome. Perhaps one or two of the 9 Councillors who have kept the proposal alive thus far may change their vote and stop it now but I predict it won’t be enough.
The Business Plan highlights the risks and the staff report talks grandly of the need to develop strategies to mitigate those risks but is relatively silent in giving us a glimpse of what those strategies might be. Interestingly it talks of the opportunity costs of doing nothing but is silent on the opportunity costs of proceeding!
It makes much, as some Councillors have, of using capital funds set aside for recreational purposes and incorporating multi use purposes within the design but acknowledges that to be a success the Velodrome will have to be managed as a Velodrome. Does that mean if we have underestimated the success of the Velodrome in its “primary purpose” then the $3.8 million contributed from existing Capital will in fact need to be spent elsewhere?
The report talks of some of the Town’s share coming from the provision of “in kind” services and therefore not affecting the taxpayer. Some of these “in kind” services are expected to come from Milton Hydro – the last time I looked the sole shareholder of Milton Hydro was the Town of Milton – isn’t that a little bit like a shell game?
The business plan lists six scenarios – the usual worst, most likely and best cases for each of two conditions – with or without Laurier University! The staff report talks about the Education village needing to be shovel ready by 2013. If we compare the timescales of the new High School at Fourth Line and Louis St Laurent even if it is shovel ready and, above all, APPROVED it is unlikely to be complete in time to affect the period considered by the Business Plan.
Interestingly because the Regional ROPA 38 is under appeal the proposed site is incorrectly zoned. I may have missed it but I cannot find any provision for both the costs and the timescales involved in fixing the zoning issue!
As far as I understand it the details of the Legacy Fund for the Pan Am Games are far from finalized so the Town’s commitment to the Velodrome as recommended by Staff will be on the assumption that the shortfall on operating costs will be met out of this as yet indeterminate Legacy fund – after all most Councillors have indicated that it has to be at zero cost to the Milton Taxpayer!
Given that this is likely to be approved I would urge Councillors at the very least not to create a “not for profit” Corporation to manage the Velodrome but rather find a private sector partner to take the operating risk and manage it as a proper business venture receiving reward for so doing!
Martin Capper
Jan 28, 2012
Here is a link to the Hawthorne Villager Forum thread on this issue
Build and they will come! Councillors….don’t make it more complicated than it is! This town is growing WAY TOO FAST no Thanks to all of you (and those in the past) who voted for the established plans without thinking ahead. I have seen far too often the representatives of this town “jump the gun”. yet as the same time drag out things where benefits to the town are clear and concise. It’s beyond me to ever understand why this goes on. Simply put – this town needs things and places for KIDS! Stop dragging your arses and get it done for the sake of the community….oh wait – that is if YOU as a representative of this town even live here! Venting? YES. Frustrated? YES. Martin would get it done….why can’t the rest of you?