After failing to appear at two scheduled media events last weekend and indefinitely postponing a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Oakville set for next Friday, Lisa Raitt has finally surfaced - just in time to sign a Really Big Cheque for $14.9 million in front of Milton's lovely new Town Hall.
The cheque is for joint Federal and Provincial funding for the oft-delayed Milton Arts and Entertainments Centre and Library. It's also for the expansion of the Milton Sports Centre, which is where I get confused. Originally, the Town had asked for 7.5 million dollars from each of the Provincial and Federal governments for just the Arts Centre / Library. They were also going to be asking for $13 million for an expansion of the Milton Sports Centre
So I'm looking at that giant cheque and thinking, "Shouldn't there be two of those?"
Raitt's speech didn't clarify things any. She referred to the $14.9 million as "federal funding", even though the Giant Cheque was signed by both herself and Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. And she specifically stated that 6.7 million of this money was going to the sports centre expansion (which, BTW, she seemed considerably more enthused about).
So is there another Giant Cheque out there, or did Milton get screwed out of half the funding we asked for? Sprawlville TV is on the case - I'll let you know.
(Appearing in this video: MP Lisa Raitt, MPP Ted Chudleigh, MPP Kevin Flynn, Mayor Gordon Krantz, and Milton CAO Mario Belvedere.)
UPDATE: I spoke to Councillor Colin Best at the Farmer's Market this morning, and he says that the $14.9 million is just the first instalment.
Suddenly there are ministers and Con MPs "announcing" funding for projects across the country even up here in Grey Bruce. 3 questions come to mind, what took so long, why now, how did non Con ridings do in this lottery?
ReplyDeleteCould the second question have anything to do with Iggys delemma that he must solve this week?
So how does fixing up/expsnding current facilities relate to infrastructure... Shouldn't the money go to improving roads, sewers, water lines, etc. instead of "cosmetic surgery" projects?
ReplyDeleteThe Arts Centre / Library is actually is a new project that's been on the To Do list for years but still hasn't broken ground. The library and visual arts space are to be done as the first phase, with the performing arts centre as phase 2. There's also supposed to be a housing component.
ReplyDeleteAnd although I could personally care less about having yet more hockey rinks in town, the sports centre expansion really is a huge construction project as well.