Inside the Bayfield Arena.. (Photo by Bob Montgomery)Inside the Bayfield Arena.. (Photo by Bob Montgomery)
Midwestern

Questions About Bayfield Ice Removal

Friday's meeting of the Bayfield Community Complex Feasibility Study Committee was a fairly emotional gathering.

The purpose of the meeting was to finalize the terms of reference for a consultant's report on the recreational needs of the municipality. But there's no doubt the central issue is whether the ice remains in the Bayfield Arena. And the contentious issue that kept coming up at the meeting is the fact that Bluewater council has already passed a motion stating that the ice would not be put in this fall before they're asking a consultant whether it's needed or not.

Committee member Steve Baker repeatedly said council had put the cart before the horse and that council should at least rescind that motion until the consultant's report is complete. The Chair of the committee, Leanne Kavanagh, speaking as the President of the Bayfield and Area Chamber of Commerce, suggested dealing with a study over the removal of the ice creates a unique situation when council has already passed a motion to remove it.

Kavanagh also raised a concern that this fall's election could create a lame duck council as early as this May which would make it difficult for council to rescind the original motion if the consultant's report recommended the ice be kept in the area. Mayor Hessel agreed that could complicate things and said he would look into that. Kavanagh says their final draft of the terms of reference, along with letters from the community, will now be passed on to council for approval.

“I do feel that we are in a bit of a unique situation because we're dealing with a study after a motion has been made to remove a service of recreation in our community and now we're doing a study after the fact.”

“Going from here we are finalizing our draft terms of reference. We're hoping to have a completion of that in the next week and then it will go in front of council for approval. All the community comment letters we received that we reviewed tonight will go along as a package with the terms of reference draft and then hopefully we'll get approval of that.”

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