Arenas, pools face ‘death spiral’ under budget freeze: official

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This article was published 14/11/2019 (1621 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City residents will “inevitably” lose some of their libraries, swimming pools and arenas if a budget freeze restricts maintenance to emergency repairs after the planning, property and development department proposed what it’s chairman called “an elegant solution.”

John Kiernan, the department’s director, said buildings require “substantial ongoing maintenance” once they outlive a typical life expectancy of 50 years, which many of the city’s facilities have.

“I don’t want to be alarmist (but) there’s a death spiral. There’s a certain point at which you can’t bring them back,” he told the standing policy committee on property and development, heritage and downtown development during a special meeting Friday.

On Friday, the department proposed a number of changes to account for restraints in the 2020-23 budget plan — including deferring building maintenance to focus only on emergency repairs.

Kiernan said the average age of buildings in his portfolio is 54.

The department oversees approximately 1,100 structures — 950 of which are buildings that are heated, occupied or routinely visited. Of those facilities, 67 are 67 community centres.

In order to slash its budget, the public service has suggested it freeze renovations and undertake only critical health and life safety repairs.

Chairman of the property and development committee, Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), called the reactive approach “an elegant solution” in a tightened budget.

“We’ll go where the crisis is, so if the roof caves in at one pool and at one rink, we can probably only do one or the other, let’s say. Whereas, in other years, we’ve been able to do more,” Mayes said.

A report presented to the committee states the lack of investment in infrastructure will “inevitably” lead to recreational facility closures. The public service also noted Friday arenas and pools likely pose the greatest challenge because of their high humidity and Winnipeg’s climate.

Also on the chopping block, a total of 27 full-time equivalent jobs, the public art strategy, riverbank greenway programs, cemetery improvements, and reduced grants for the business improvement zones (BIZ).

Over the next four years, the proposed changes would see the department’s operating costs reduced by $2.7 million and capital expenses by $24.4 million.

It is too early to know if people will be laid off — the department has approximately 25 vacancies at present, and people will retire, others will be shuffled, Kiernan said.

Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West), a member of the committee, said she was frustrated the options presented listed specific job positions that could be cut.

“I think there’s a much better way to do it that we aren’t impacting literally individuals, who know that’s their position that’s on the line from now until March,” Lukes said.

Layoffs aside, the proposal states reductions to permit and inspections positions in the coming years will require a shift in those services and result in longer wait times for the public.

Following the meeting, Lukes raised concerns about the lack of options and that projected revenues have yet to be presented to accompany budget cuts. “I’m sort of working in the clouds here,” she said, adding its still unclear when the committee will receive a revenue breakdown.

Of the proposed cuts, Mayes said it was particularly difficult to hear those to public art and greenway initiatives, two things he has advocated for. He said the public and other councillors will now have the ability to share their thoughts to determine priorities and alter the proposal, if need be.

The committee will hear budget-related delegations Nov. 27.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie