‘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