Approaching its 100th birthday, an age-old debate about what to do with the Halifax Forum is once again heating up. It’s set for a rebuild at the same location, for a ballooned cost of $126 million. But late Friday afternoon, the city posted on social media saying staff have decided to pause the demolition application because costs have gone higher than what was planned for – but the city’s not yet saying how far over budget. “This decision was informed by an updated project cost,” the municipality’s website reads. “While the revised estimate is still subject to third-party validation, projected costs have increased beyond the funding currently approved by Regional Council. “As a result, the updated cost information and potential next steps will be brought back to Regional Council for further consideration and direction regarding go-forward options.” “It’s my belief that if the project proceeds, it will probably get to the $150 million mark at some point with inflation,” Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore told CTV News Atlantic on Saturday. Fillmore has been adamant that city council needs to change course, saying a two-ice-pad arena could be built elsewhere for about $50 million. “There are at least two sites on the peninsula and not far from [the current Halifax Forum] that could accommodate a two-pad facility,” Fillmore said. Some argued the venue’s current location is unrivalled. “We need the forum,” said Marina Smith, an artist and show organizer at a Saturday market. “I mean, there are too many communities serviced by this building and have been for many years that depend on it, not only for their livelihood, but for their communities to stay cohesive.” Fillmore won’t yet say where he wants a new arena to be built but did say he’s been having conversations with the Department of National Defence. “I am trying to position a revival of the 2014 partnership with the Department of National Defence,” he said. “Those conversations are ongoing and nothing to report, definitive yet.” While that staff report called for a four-pad arena to also replace other arenas, it proposed the building be constructed at CFB Halifax, specifically Windsor Park. But regardless of what option prevails, Fillmore maintained it can’t all be on the backs of HRM taxpayers. “I can imagine a project that involves the city, the federal government and a private sector partner,” he said. “That would take our costs from 100 – well, heading to $150 million – down to $17 million,” referring to his current projection of the existing rebuild. “Obviously, the more sensible thing to do.” The city says the Forum’s heritage designation adds time and money to the demolition. Its end-of-life state also doesn’t help, which is why a new build is necessary. “It is a crisis of delay, is what we’re experiencing in the municipality,” said Paul Card, the chair of the Halifax Forum Community Association. A public hearing was slated for Thursday, but that was cancelled as part of the city’s latest update. “The idea that you would pause a public hearing that has nothing to do with costs, it merely slows the project down, it seems odd,” Card said in an interview. He also questioned the city posting its update late on a Friday afternoon, arguing that “is not transparency.” “It’s been over a decade that this has been going on,” he said of discussions about the Forum’s future. “It has jeopardized the cost of the redevelopment, it’s jeopardized the 100-year-old facility, you know, we’re worried about public safety at this point.” But at its core, part of the issue stems from the need for more ice surfaces in Halifax. Fillmore argued keeping the Forum open until another rink is built is best. Card said building another arena, aside from a new Forum, is a great idea, but predicted that would take at least eight years. “I’d love to see four brand new rinks before we tear this one down and make it what we want to see,” said Colin Algee, who was walking into the arena on Saturday. “We need more rinks in the city.” Fillmore said a staff update will be brought to city councillors next month. Brynn Budden, a public affairs advisor with the municipality, said staff received an updated cost estimate that incorporated “extensive value engineering work.” According to the website, the design phase for the revitalization of the 99-year-old Forum is expected to be completed by 2027. Pending council approval, construction could begin by the end of that year. The redevelopment of the Forum was originally approved in 2014 with an estimated cost of $38 million. The project, which at one time was set to be done by 2019, has ballooned to $126 million. Last March, Fillmore brought forward a motion to defer the project for one year so council could consider other options. The motion received an eight-to-eight tie vote, which meant it was defeated. At that time, the mayor said he feared the decision would “haunt the municipality for a long time to come.” -With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Sean Mott For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
