‘It’s really hard to see where an investment like this can go sideways’: Sarnia pushes forward with multi-million dollar rec centre

Sarnia Council has voted to restore funding for a sports and recreation complex in the city. CTV’s Sean Irvine with the story.

Backers of a proposed multi-purpose recreation centre in Sarnia are celebrating a reversal of fortune.

Despite the firm opposition of Mayor Mike Bradley, council members have overridden his strong mayor powers to allow the project to proceed to the next step.

The Sarnia Bace project features indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, as well as meeting and social spaces.

It is backed by multiple clubs in the city and has secured the promise of at least $2 million from private foundations.

The support had some believing the concept was a slam dunk, but Bradley was not among them.

“2026 is not the year to put an extra burden on the taxpayers for something that would be wonderful to have. But right now, we can’t afford to give $10 million to a group with no accountability. It just boggles my mind that that would happen,” Bradley told CTV News.

Using his strong mayor powers, he vetoed any plans to borrow $4 million to secure the land for the site on Michigan Avenue.

He was overridden by a 6-3 vote at council, paving the way for the money to be borrowed in budget discussions next fall.

Coun. Brian White put forward the motion to support the project.

“It’s not something that we can do alone. And I think when you’re being given the opportunity for the long-term liability to be put in somebody else’s hands, then I think it’s an easy investment to make,” he said.

Bradley counters that the impact on taxes is ill-timed, as Sarnia was set to be debt-free in early 2026.

He is also concerned about a lack of civic involvement in the project.

“When these issues hit the floor, council, I think, is going to find the public support will diminish to a great degree, because they just want us to make sure anything we do protects their tax dollars,” he said.

“It’s really hard to see where an investment like this can go sideways,” White argued. “But we will put some provisions in place to make sure that we protect taxpayers’ money.”

White contends money must be spent to keep investors and large-scale event promoters interested in Sarnia.

“We don’t let taxpayers’ dollars walk out the door by having to drive to facilities across the province,” he said.

The total cost for the project remains uncertain, with some reports suggesting it could hit close to $25 million.

Bradley argues that the millions the city could contribute would be better spent on existing facilities in need of upgrades.