Monday's council agenda included a recommendation from the Recreation and Culture Standing Committee to approve a $350,000 contract for a pump track to be built where the Kiwanis ball field is presently located.
A generous donation will cover $250,000 of the cost. However, not included in the $350,000 cost is the lighting required at another ball field. Also not included is the estimated $250,000 required to upgrade the former tennis court after the existing memorial skate park is moved.
Upgrading the court for pickleball has been suggested by staff, and some councillors have been expressing positive comments about it.
However, the current issue for citizens, is that the decision will eliminate a ball field that has been, for many decades, a popular sports facility in Elliot Lake. A facility the local youth ball club says is integral to their program, serving recreational needs for over 200 youth.
Elliot Lakers do not believe they've had a proper 'say'
Early during the council meeting, local resident, Barry Hunter, addressed the council. Hunter prefaced his words, "Ms. Bray directed me on what I could or could not say today. So I'm not saying what I wanted to say."
He told the council, "I read social media and I'm wondering how council ever got to the point where a petition was required to support the interests of so many people in town?"
Hunter was referring to a petition in the agenda package. It contained 80 signatures.
When the council later received the petition, it was not read to the public. It read: "In regard to the pump track being placed in Kiwanis ball field. We would like to request that this location be reconsidered as the ball field is needed in this community and receives sufficient use to show this need."
ElliotLakeToday has since learned that the petition had grown to 240 signatures, all of them delivered to the clerk and included in the petition council received.
Hunter continued, "Kids need activity, healthy outdoor activity. And this decision of council not to accept anything about the petition, to me, is going directly against the youth of our community who are our next generation."
"I just want to leave tonight saying, I plead with you folks, to look at this again, to pause. And before you go any further, think of the people who are being affected by your decision. There's room for both."
The youth ball club had also stated a desire to make a presentation at the council meeting. A week prior, at the rec and culture committee meeting, Mayor Andrew Wannan had commented to the club rep, "I do apologize that you couldn't have made a better presentation. I know you're trying to present or do a delegation.”
“That can still happen, right? February 12th, we're having a meeting. So, just get your ducks in order and get your stuff in before the deadlines. I guess that's about all I really have to say,” Wannan said as he began to chuckle.
ELT previously reported the club's frustrated attempts in more detail here.
Council decides
When the item came up on the agenda, the mayor read the staff recommendation aloud. The recommendation: to enter into a contract for the $350,000 pump track, located on the ball field.
The item was motioned and seconded and the Director of Recreation and Culture provided an overview before the mayor opened the item for council discussion, “Do we have any questions or comments?”
Ten seconds of silence followed. There were no questions or comments from any of the councillors. Having none himself, the mayor called for the vote. It was unanimously in favour.
An unusual process
It’s the second time the staff recommendation has come through the committee and council because of what appeared to be an incomplete process the first time.
Four weeks ago, ELT reached out to councillors and senior staff three times for an explanation. There has been no response.
During the near year-long gap between the first committee-council process and this one, the Elliot Lake Youth Slo-Pitch and T-Ball Club has been trying unsuccessfully to get their side of the story told and fully considered in an open forum.
Last Friday, three of the six-member council and the interim CAO met with 2 club members behind closed doors, according to a club rep.
And late Friday evening, ELT reached out to (now) Mayor Andrew Wannan, Councillors Norman Mann and Rick Bull, and interim CAO Rob deBortoli, requesting the resolution numbers and minutes supporting the long-ago decisions the ball club reported they’d been advised about at the meeting.
The request read, “ElliotLakeToday has been informed that today, you told members of the Elliot Lake Youth Slo-Pitch and T-Ball Club that the ball field at Kiwanis was to be decommissioned in 2013 and that the decision was reaffirmed in 2017. I am writing to ask if you would please supply me with the council resolution numbers and a copy of the minutes for those decisions?”
There has been no response from the councilmen or interim CAO.
As previously reported, while waiting for the response, ELT located a relevant staff report in the agenda package of June 26, 2017.
The staff report said a Request for Proposal for a splash pad was released and “work has been undertaken to determine a new location for the ball diamond currently located at the Kiwanis Park.”
The splash pad was built about six years ago and the ball field remained. Clearly, the ball field does not need to be moved for the splash pad.
Yesterday, the City issued a news release about Monday’s decision. It only refers to the 2013 decision.
In part, the news release states, “The plan to retire the Kiwanis baseball field has been in the works and passed by resolution of Council in 2013, with the grand plan being to add a splash pad, a permanent outdoor rink, and a bike track and skate park.”
Archived agenda packages available on the city website do not go back to 2013.
This morning, ElliotLakeToday filed a Freedom of Information request for the 2013 resolution and all related planning documents.