The city of Saguenay settled on Tuesday a debate that had been going on among the population for several years about the Center Georges-Vézina.
• Also read: Center Georges-Vézina: Mayor Dufour accuses Minister Laforest of interference
The majority of the local council supports the project of a new amphitheater to replace the old Center Georges-Vézina.
The $94 million project will be built over five years.
“This is the commitment we are making,” said financial advisor Michel Potvin. […] Everything is being done to ensure that it is built within five years.”
This is a big turnaround. In April 2018, the consultant responsible for the city’s sports and leisure commission, Michel Thiffault, spoke of “a whim, a luxury” regarding a new Georges Vézina center.
“Times change, needs change,” he said Tuesday. The majority of the population wants a new amphitheater and we are there.”
Just two weeks ago, Mayor Julie Dufour spoke of an amphitheater “in seven years.”
Michel Potvin floated the idea of a 2% annual tax increase to fund $1 billion in infrastructure investments over seven years.
The renovation of the Georges Vézina Center, as unveiled last summer, would have been more than $40 million too expensive, according to the city. The consultants therefore decided to build a new building.
The project, launched Tuesday, is estimated to cost $94.3 million in 2025, with no guarantee of financial support from Quebec and Ottawa and by seeking private participation.
“In 2017 we had no room for maneuver,” explained city councilor Michel Potvin. We have created a margin of $20 million, which allows us to implement more ambitious projects and take risks.”
“We are aiming to start construction by the end of 2025, or the beginning of 2026 at the latest,” he added.
Elected officials are therefore endorsing a new 4,500-seat, 94.3 million-seat arena to be built by 2028. The project would include one ice cream, perhaps two, and could be constructed somewhere other than the current location of the Georges Vézina Center. what would be preserved.
“We have to wait for the geotechnical reports to see if the ground is suitable for new construction,” Potvin said.
Saguenay will hire a licensed construction economist from outside the region to define the project for $775,000.
“We will determine what we want and then we will go to the provincial government and the federal government. We are also open to the private sector if they would like to contribute financially.”
In Quebec, the Minister of Sports, Recreation and Nature, Isabelle Charest, has once again closed the door on a government decree to promote the new Saguenay project.
“We have a program [le PAFIRSPA] which is standardized. So if they want a new amphitheater, they have to go through the program that already exists,” she replied to a question from TVA Nouvelles.
“We will not demand a decree,” stressed Mr. Potvin. Since we do not yet know the project and its location, we will not submit this project to PAFIRSPA.”
However, a consultant is against the project and still favors a renovation of the Georges Vézina Center.
“If we let Michel Potvin manage the city’s finances, we will be under supervision,” emphasized city councilor Serge Gaudreault, who is against the new direction of the local council.
“We vote on a project for which we have no plans and no funding and give $775,000 to an outside company? “It’s nothing serious!” he continued.
Andrée Laforest, MP for Chicoutimi and minister responsible for Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, declined to comment.