'Digging a deeper hole': Councillor wants Coliseum demolished as cost balloons to roughly $35M
It was heaven for hockey fans in orange and blue for more than four decades, but for nearly five years the old Coliseum has resulted in nothing but red on Edmonton's budget.
While the building sits empty, the city confirms Edmonton taxpayers are spending more than $1 million every year to "maintain" the "dark" facility.
At least one councillor feels now is the time, despite tight city finances, to pay the hefty demolition bill for the former home of the Oilers.
"By doing nothing, we’re actually digging a deeper hole," Ward Metis Coun. Ashley Salvador said Tuesday.
"I would describe it as an eyesore. You know, it’s a burden and a blight on the neighbourhood and it has been for a really long time."
The Oilers and Oil Kings left for Rogers Place in 2016. The city took the building over in 2018.
City budget documents state it'll cost about $35 million to remove the old arena, up from an initial estimate of $12 million.
While city staff list the demolition as "not recommended for funding" in the next four years, Salvador is urging action now to save future bills.
"I hope that my colleagues will be able to see that this is, yeah, just the financially prudent thing to do," she said.
OTHER IDEAS HAVE FLOPPED
There have been pitches to repurpose the nearly 50-year-old building that was more recently called Rexall Place, but all have faded away.
Hockey Canada proposed an academy and four community rinks in 2017. There was a vision to transform the Coliseum into apartments in 2018.
And in 2020, a group that included former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel wanted to turn the mothballed arena into a centre for local sports including basketball, volleyball and track.
- City council to vote on Hockey Canada proposal Tuesday
- Local group behind ambitious pitch to re-develop Coliseum, surrounding land
- Mandel part of group trying to save Coliseum from the wrecking ball
Mandel told CTV News Edmonton Tuesday that he still thinks the Coliseum is worth saving but "it seems no one else at the city agrees."
The former mayor fears the $35 million demolition estimate from 2019 is much higher now. He also suspects there's little interest in redeveloping the land.
Still, Mandel feels he's done all he could do to make the building an asset rather than a pile of rubble.
Part of what makes it difficult to repurpose the Coliseum is a legal agreement between Oilers owner Daryl Katz and the city that says the Coliseum will not compete with Rogers Place
EXHIBITION LANDS
Indecision also comes with a cost in this case and it's taxpayers covering the roughly $3,400 a day in maintenance fees.
Ward Sspomitapi Coun. Jo-Anne Wright figures that price will rise this winter because of high utility bills.
"I know that for a lot of people, it does have that special meaning for them. But I think there’s much better use that we can make of that property," Wright told CTV News Edmonton.
The city still has long-term plans to turn the former Northlands site into everything from green space to houses to light industrial in a project called Edmonton Exhibition Lands.
"People are ultimately excited by the end vision of a walkable, mixed-use transit-oriented, complete community in a central core neighbourhood. But again, they recognize that the Coliseum needs to go, in order to ultimately realize that vision," Salvador said.
Budget talks resume at Edmonton City Hall on Wednesday, where councillors are trying to squeeze a number of projects and initiatives in while keeping a property tax increase near four per cent.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Asking rent prices up 9.3% across Canada, Ontario sees only decline: report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Mexico's president accuses press and volunteer searchers for missing people of 'necrophilia'
The administration of Mexico's president has accused the press and volunteer searchers who look for the bodies of missing people of 'necrophilia,' comments that drew criticism this week.
WATCH Expecting an interest rate cut in June? Don't bet on it after new jobs data
Canada's labour market rebounded in April, adding more than 90,000 jobs, a staggering number of new positions after four consecutive months of little change.
Out-of-control wildfire burning near Fort McMurray
As of 9 a.m. on Friday, the wildfire burning 28 kilometres southwest of the northeastern Alberta city was 25 hectares in size.
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.