Photo by Shaun Penner

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City Council rejects large-scale renovation for Revolution Place

Nov 13, 2020 | 12:29 PM

This story has been updated from its original version

The idea to add a full-scale renovation to Revolution Place to the 2021 municipal budget was rejected by a 6-3 vote amongst Grande Prairie City Council during budget deliberations Friday. The projected cost was $55 million dollars. City staff says that would have added $91 a year to the average home’s property tax bill.

Several councillors said now was not the time to add a project like this and increase the cost to taxpayers. They also added that this was the wrong spot for an expanded arena.

Some also said adding several thousand seats would make parking issues worse. Others maintain there is already enough parking downtown and that this is not an issue.

Mayor Bill Given made the motion. He called this a comprehensive approach to downtown and something that would have generated economic activity in an area where City Hall has already put in a lot of money.

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Councillor Eunice Friesen says the cost of this has already gone up and will continue to increase until something is done. Given, Friesen and Councillor Chris Thiessen voted in favour of the idea, with everyone else opposed.

However, a motion to borrow $3 million for a smaller scale renovation at Revolution Place has been passed.

This will include adding a loading dock and improvements to the lobby and vestibule area. This will see a new box office built and separate entrances for the arena and Bowes Event Centre.

Earlier this year, council approved $544,000 for some other improvements at Revolution Place that included painting and new security detectors at the entrance.