‘Preferred’ multiplex a

Not beyond
city’s scope,
officials say

By JEFF NAGEL
THE LATEST plan for the
city’s proposed multiplex
has come in with a price tag
of just under $11.5 million,

And while it's described
as the “preferred option'’
it’s not necessarily the final
word on what cily council
might eventually send to lo-
cal taxpayers for approval in
a referendum,

Locals got a look at the
plan last Thursday at the
third and final open house
aimed at determining the
general concept of the com-

plex.
Parks and recreation su-
perintendent Steve Scott

said the new plan is larger
and more comprehensive
than four previous scenarios
drawn up by consultants
Johnston Sport Architecture
that ranged in price from
$7.5 million to $10.5 mil-
lion.

He said the two most ex-
pensive of those scenarios
drew the most public sup-
port on .questionaires that
were returned.

_ That led the advisory de-

sign committee to merge
components of both those
scenarios into one larger op-
tion.

The new plan calls for a
second sheet of icc on the
north side of the cxisting
arena and a varicly of other
facilities built on two levels
between the arena and the
aquatic centre.

Included is a 250-seat
drama theatre and a double
gymnasium.

Other recrealionai facilties
include an acrobics/dance
studio, mew parks and
.tecreation administrative of
fices, a weight room, climb-
ing wall, squash courts, and
men’s and women’s lockers.

Community use facilities
also .in the building would
include two meeting rooms,
a community kitchen, a teen
drop-in centre, a seniors’
drop-in ° centre,;.. drop-in
childminding .area, an. arts
and crafts studio.

The aquatic centre would

Acrial View of the Multiptex

Vlustration of the overall concept

+

Nee

MULTIPLEX conceptual drawings envision a large continuous complex from the second sheet of ice north of

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 7, 1998 - A5

the arena to the aquatic centre. That's parks and recreation superintendent Steve Scott.

emerge with new family
change rooms where the
weight room presently is,

The second sheet of ice
would have spectator seat-
ing for 100 and change
rooms.

And parks and recreation
administrative offices would
move into the new section.

One potentially = con-
troversial addition to the
plan is space for a licensed
lounge that could be leased
out by the city to a private
operator. It could serve as
both a sports bar for athletes
and a green room for
theatre-goers.

“We're not sure of this
idea of a licensed lounge,”
Scott said, adding it was in-
corporated in the design at
the last minute.

He said that could be
reconsidered if there is sub-
stantial opposition.

Other areas where they’re |

bracing for opposition is
provision of weight rooms
and squash courts which
could be seen as competing
with cxisting private
facililies.

_ “We have a squash court
operator and we have some
privately owned gymns in
town,’’ Scott noted, “We
have to reconcile govern-
ment’s role in providing
those services when the pri-

vate sector is already. doing --

that.” »

Some components could
get removed from the pro-

Multiplex cost breakdown
Community facilities — $1.96 million
Recreation facilities — $1,676 million
Double gymnasium — $1.958 million
Second sheet of ice — $2.179 million
Theatre costs — $754,000
Family change rooms for pool — $224,000
Lounge (tenant space) — not included
Upgrade existing facilities — not included
Subtotal: ' $8.76 million
Additional costs:

Site development — $525,000
Faes, disbursements — $950,000
Furniture, equipment — not included
Contingency 10 % — $900,000
GST3% — $334,000
TOTAL COST: $11.46 millon

ject to reduce the cost, he
said.

And the final cost of the
project might not be the
same as the final bill to tax-
payers.

It’s hoped that money will
flow in from several
sources, reducing the bite on
taxpayers’ wallets,

The Rick and Paul Kin
Foundation, which was
formed to help back creation
of a second sheet of ice, is
still prepared to raise money
for the project, Scott said.

If a drama theatre is in-

says.

“We've started looking at
it but we don’t have enough
information yet,’ Scatt
Said,

Some efficiencies are ex-
pected by creating a single
kiosk for entry off the main
lobby, controlling access to
both ice sheets, the pool and
other facilities.

If space is leased out to
private operators — cither
for a licensed lounge, a con-
cession or perhaps a clo-
thing store or equipment
shop —- that would also

“This isn’t a burden today. This is an in-
vestmeni in the future. We’ve got a grow-
ing population and a very young popula-
tion and this is going to last for 30 to 50

years.”

corporated, Terrace Little
Theatre has agrecd to the
idea of contributing a sub-
stantial amount to the capi-
tal costs, rather than build

' jts own standalone theatre.

Government grants will be
pursued.

And Scott said a new op-
tion of selling community
bonds to local citizens might
help the city reduce its an-
nual borrowing costs. forthe
project. heb etal

Annual operating costs are
not yet determined, Scott

generale revenue to the city
offsetting costs.

Scott said the plans also
call for trimming the height
of the hill in front of the
arena.

Lopping six feet off that
area ——- reducing it to the
same level as the aquatic
centre — will push the
usable space 20 feet closer
to Kalum St, opening up

more parking space. vee
‘Scott said total parking for,

the multiplex is estimated at
270 spots, although about

220 would be a more con-
Servative number.

While that doesn’t sound
like a lot, he said, not every
part of the complex is likely
to be in use all at once.

The report from Thurs-
day’s open house will lead
to further discussions on
what lo do next, Scott says.

Locals were asked in
questionaires last week if
they felt the cost was ac-
ceptable, if the components
reflect. the community’s
needs and if they’d support
the plan if put to
referendum.

One of the questions
posed the possibility that the
project could be tackled in
phases. .

“Obviously you can build
the arena separately,’’ Scott
said. ‘‘But it’s not our intent
fo present this as a phased
project at this time.”’

“We don’t believe it’s
beyond the scope of Terrace
to support something like
this,” he said.

“This isn’t a burden
today. This is an investnent
in the future. We’ve got a
growing population and a
very young population and
this is going to last for 30 to
50 years.”

So far the only money
spent on the project has
been the $45,000 the city
and :regional:' district are.+
paying Johnston Sport Ar-__
chitecture for their involve-
ment.

The road to the multiplex

BA major push to build a $2.82 million
sccond sheet of ice with an attached leisure
sheet ended in failure three yeats ago. The
November, 1995 referendum was defeated
with 55 per cent of voters in Terrace and
outlying areas opposed. The Rick and Paul
King Foundation — the ice user group that
spearheaded the project —- had committed
to raise $750,600, reducing taxpayers’ com-
mitment to a maximum of $2.1 million.

Wi Fallout from the referendum defeat saw
city council agree that any future effort
would have to be more planned, more in-
clusive of other groups, and not driven by

any single interest group.

WW The city spent nearly a year exploring
the possibility of getting a privale company
to build the second arena with the city
buying time in it to then sell at subsidized
_ rates fo user groups. Council emerged un-

ing activities.

comfortable about possible hidden costs
and abandoned the idea early in 1997.

Mm Council then handed the entire issue
off to its Parks and Recreation Advisory
Commission to determine what new recrea-
tional facilities are needed, Surveys and in-
terviews were conducted and the commis-
sion came back with a lengthy list of ac-
tivities and facilities —- and recommended
a multiplex be built to house several lead-

BH Council and the regional district de-
cided to proceed and in early 1998 hired
Johnston Sport Architecture as consultants

to guide a local advisory design committee

tiplex.

struck to decide what would go in the mul-

BIA series of open houses over the spring .
and summer ended with the release of the
preferred design concept last week.

Nisga’a government not municipal

By MEL SMITH

By no stretch of the imagination
can the Nisga’a Lisim government,
to be established under the Nisga’a
treaty, be considered merely
municipal-like in nature, as govern-
ment spokespeople and publica-
tions claim.

Municipal government is relative-
ly easy to recognize when you sce
it. First and foremost, it is not an
order of government established by
the Canadian Constitution — only
the federal and provincial govern-
ments are that.

Municipal governments are estab-
lished by a provincial Icgislature
delegating certain limited and local

powers to a municipal body which .

lt creates. The important point is
that whatever powers the Iegisla-
ture delegates to a municipality, if
can at any time in the future
retrieve. It can even abolish
altogether the very municipalily it
has created. The recent forced
amalgamation and consolidation of
municipal governments in Toronto
is a case in point.

The second hallmark of genuine
municipal government is the
powers given to it are local in ma-

ture, such as: taxalion of real prop- .,
erty, zoning and land-use planning, ©

building inspection, regulation of

noise, animals and waste disposal,

local. road construction and

maintenance, local business - and

trade licenses, local policing, and
the imposition of penalties for con-
travention of these Jaws. There are
other powers of like kind, but in es-
scice they result in the passage of
bylaws relating to local com-
munity.

The third feature of municipal
government is that all adult resi-
dents within a municipality have
the right to ran for municipal office
and, most importantly, vote for
their municipal governments.

The form of Nisga’a Lisim
government proposed under the
Nisga’a final agreement fails to
mect the test of any of the three
criterla. set out above for a
municipal-type government.

It fails the first test, because the
powers it is given by the province
under the treaty are not delegated
to it but are, in fact, forever ir-
retrievable because they are con-
tained within a land claim agree-
ment *‘constitutionalized’? by sec-
tion 35 of the Constitution Act,
1992, No city or lesser municipality
.in Canada is given that kind of ir-
revocable status, The federal minis-
‘ter of Indian and northern affairs
‘acknowledges this is the first time

in the history of treaty-making in
Canada that this kind of aboriginal
sel-govermment is included within

a “constitutionalized” land agree-

ment

It also fails the second test of a
municipal-type government, in that
the powers to be given to it go far
beyond the right to pass bylaws on
whal are essential community-type
matters of the kind listed above. It
will have the right ‘‘to make laws’”
(the language used in the Canadian
Constitution to describe federal and
provincial powers) on what are
clearly provincial _ legislative
powers and some federal ones. For
example, laws on education (K-12),
laws on higher education (including
establishing one or more univer-
sities), laws to do with the delivery
of healthy services, child and fam-
ily services laws, laws over
businesses, trades and professions
(except accreditation), and laws to
do with their fish, aquatic plants

and wildlife entitlements. The list.

goes on.

These Nisga’a laws — yet to be
passed by a Nisga’a government,
yet to be established under a
Nisga’a constitution, and yel to be
written — will supplant federal and
provincial laws on the subjects
mentioned above if there is any
conflict between them.

On certain issues, the writ of
Nisga’a government will extend
outside of the Nass Valley ta the

.Nisga’a people wherever they may

live in B.C, Far from. being
municipal government, this puts

_ Nisga’a Lisim government in 4

category never before seen in Can-
ada.

Finally, Nisga’a government also
fails the third test of municipal
government, in that it prevents non-
Nisga’a residing on Nisga’a lands
from voling in Nisga’a government
elections — notwithstanding that
such persons are subject to Nisga’a
laws of general application and are
potentially liable to Nisga’a proper-
ty taxes. To merely have some
vaguely defined advisory input to
lower level public bodies has not
proven cfleclive where it has been
iried elsewhere.

To sum up, the Kind of central
goverment that is proposed in the
Nisga’a agreement is a far cry from
municipal government. . Any
government ad, radio or TV spot,
or spokesperson who says it is, is
not being truthful. This, however, is
far more than an issue of semantics.
It is fundamental restructuring of
how this province is to be governed
in the future without our consent.
What can he done about it?

Mel Smith was a lawyer, senior
bureaucrat and constitutional ad- -
viser to a series of Social Credit
governments in B.C. retiring in
1991, He's the author of Qur Home
or Native Lend? lives in Victoria ©
and is a columnist with B.C.
Report. This column was commis-
sioned by the company that owns
the Terrace Standard,

b

COARESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

He wants work, dignity

Dear Sir:

It’s amazing how little money the government as-
sumes sonicone can live on.

In the last six weeks I had to pay back $450 loaned
me by Sacial Services. I realized the money had to be
paid back bul I had no idea if would be taken at the rate
of 48 pez cent of my EL,

Instead of ihe $1038 (after taxes) I should have
teceived in the six-week period, I received $586. Do
you think you could live on that sum?-

Also 1 think most people assume if you're single you
can drop everything and move on a moment’s notice.
it’s not as casy as it sounds,

I was offered a job in Williams Lake but it soon be-
came apparent I would not be able to take it Too many
obstacles, First, the employer wanted me immediately.
Well even a single person needs time to make arrange-
ments; give notice, arrange to have your belongings
moved and find an apartment in the new city.

Secondly, you’re poor enough when on EI, but with
welfare deducting 48 per cent, making a move is im-
possible. How would I come up with the approx. $1500
it would take to move (damage deposit, rent, gas, car
insurance, food and money for lodging while locking
for an apartment)? I spent a week trying to get EI or
welfare to see that they would save money if they
helped me get to the new job, EI no longer offers any
moving assistance and even though welfare made me
fill out lots of paperwork (and have the employer fax
the job offer to them), in the end they said I earned too
much money for them to assist me? $586 in six weeks
is to much money?? Oh, they did say if 1 had been on
welfare and not EI they would have been able to pro-
vide money to relocate.

The bottom line is that once you get to a certain
poverty level you’re trapped. Too poor to take ad-
vantage of opportunities no matter how lucrative.

So, tomorrow I will have to phone the employer back
and apologize for wasting his time. I honestly thought
welfare would come through for me.

I guess that’s my naivete showing again, It seems the
government claims of doing whatever it takes to help
you find a job is just another empty promise.

It looks like at the age of 36 [ will have to move back
in with my parents for a little while. That’s the only

‘way I will be able to move al a moment’s notice, and

the only way to get ahead financially.
Not a great solution, but it’ll have to do,
Peter Randrup, Terrace, B.C.
{received via email)

This healing has vaiue

Dear Sir:

As a local Registered Massage Therapist (RMT), 1
was concerned after reading the story ‘‘Terrace’s
holistic healers”, (The Terrace Standard, Sept. 23).

My primary concern is that the reporter failed to ac-
knowledge the healing value of the supplementary
therapies currently recognized under B.C.’s Medical
Services Plan, including naturopathy, physiotherapy,
chiropractic and massage therapy.

When it comes to health care, public safety must be a
primary concern. The reason massage therapy, for ex-
ample, is.covered by the Medical Services Plan’is that
it is proven to be effective and it is being provided by
professionals with minimum education requirements.

To become an RMT in B.C., current students must
have at Jeast 3,000 hours of training over three years.

The College of Massage Therapists of British Colum- —

bia — the equivalent to the College of Physicians and
Surgeons of British Columbia — cxamines and li-
censes all therapists and acts as ihe profession's
regulatory body, ensuring the public receives safe and
ethical care.

People with other non-recognized designations, from
masseuses to natural healers, cannot bill to the Medical
Services Plan and are not legislated to follow any
recognized regulations regarding standards, scope of
practice, ethics and advertising. ,

Marcella Reay, Terrace, B.C.

What about men?

Dear Sir:

I’m concemed about the recent Take Back The Night
women’s rally in Terrace. [ understand that although
similar rallies in other communities allow male partici-
pation, this one does not.

This scems to help perpetuate an adversarial rela-
tionship between men and women by not allowing men
to contribute in a positive way.

We so often use the abilities that we were bor with

to do harm to women, But it docs not make sense for a
women’s organizations to refuse us a chance to do
something helpful and useful.

The fact is, every human being depends in some way
on those around them. None of us live in a vacuum and
everyone has something positive to contribute if they
choose ta.

Emerson Squires, Terrace, B.C,

So don’t complain

Dear Sir:

Being a cilizen surviving on OAS pension, | have
litle sympathy for those poor abused government em-
ployces whom I understand for the most part have had
clean guaranteed work with benefits, holidays, etc.,
with more certainty of employment than most the rest
of our society.

Government employces were always considered to
have cushy jobs. If these cmployces were so dis-
salisficd for so long with their pay cheques, why did
they not move on? They cashed the cheques, spent the
money for years and stayed on the job.

My heart gocs out ta these poor exploited slaves.
They ought to be made to spend time in some of their
fellow citizens’ shoes.

I’m sure if these poorly remuncrated workers will
give up their awful jobs, there are many thousands of
unemployed people that would love to jump in, no
questions asked.

Douglas L. Bulleid, Terrace, B.C.

The Terrace Standard welcomes letters to the editor.
Our deadline is noon Friday for the following Wed-
nesday’s issue. Our mailing address is 3210 Clinton
St, Terrace, B.C. V8G 5R2. Our fax number is 250-
638-8432, We particularly welcome letters via e-mail.
Our e-mail address is ee
standard@kermode.net