Don’t renovate FirstOntario Centre: city staff
Hamilton Spectator
By Matthew Van Dongen
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/72...re-city-staff/
City officials are recommending against major renovations to the aging FirstOntario Centre — including a $250-million "NHL-ready" conversion — outlined in a new private sector-funded study.
That $250,000-renovation study, by international venue experts Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects (BBB), was commissioned in 2015 after local lawyer Jasper Kujavsky offered to drum up private sector cash to pay for the research.
The city has had the study since late last year. But it stayed under wraps as city staff crafted an accompanying recommendations report for council, which is now public online in advance of an April 5 meeting.
City staff calls the renovations study a "valuable tool" but also recommend taking no action on the two renovation scenarios explored. Those included:
•a $68-million "remodeling" designed to extend the life of the 31-year-old building, add modern concessions and luxury boxes to the lower bowl;
•a $252-million full-scale renovation designed to turn the 17,000-seat facility into an "NHL-quality professional sports and entertainment facility."
Instead, city facility managers recommend essentially sticking to the status quo, "prioritizing capital needs that relate to health and safety and legislative compliance."
The city currently sets aside $800,000 a year for capital upgrades shared among the FirstOntario Centre, FirstOntario Concert Hall and Hamilton Convention Centre.
It's unclear if any of those "health and safety needs" encompass infrastructure issues identified as factors that contributed to Hamilton's lost bid to host the upcoming Memorial Cup tournament.
The Hamilton Bulldogs had made a pitch to host the event, but the Canadian Hockey League identified the state of the former coliseum as a "concern."
Current issues include an escalator that has been broken for three years or more and a main elevator prone to problems.
The city is in the midst of a 2017 budget crunch that has so far spurred council to get rid of 23 managers and administrative staff and put off planned transit improvements.
Hamilton also estimates it already spends $195 million less on infrastructure upgrades, particularly to roads, than needed every year.