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Town of Stellarton offers to sell rink to SMCCA for $1.00

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STELLARTON, NOVA SCOTIA – After last minute legal negotiations, the Town of Stellarton has agreed to sell the Stellarton Memorial Rink to a non-profit organization, the Stellarton Memorial Community Centre Association (SMCCA), for $1.00. The rink was built by coal miners and gifted to the Town in 1947, the Town will now gift it back to community citizens and we sincerely wish them success.

“At the end of the day, Council’s goal has not been to demolish the rink at all costs, the goal has always been to relieve the Town of a significant liability while keeping the public safe,” stated Mayor MacGillivray. “Council’s main concern is protection of the taxpayer, to continue to hold the tax rate, with no increases. Any renovation plan presented by the SMCCA to Town Council was 100% funded by the municipal tax rate.”

The Stellarton taxpayer supports two rinks and a pool at the Pictou County Wellness Centre (PCWC), in a significant way. The funding formula is based on a proximity model. Since our residents live closer than others to the PCWC, the Town of Stellarton pays 30% of the operating subsidy required for the facility to break even. The Town of New Glasgow pays 35%, the Municipality of the County of Pictou pays 25%, the Town of Pictou pays 4%, the Town of Trenton pays 6% and the Town of Westville pays 0%.

“We cannot afford to modernize our community rink with the already existing budget pressures regarding ice surfaces,” added Mayor MacGillivray.

The SMCCA clearly has the passion to move forward, but the Town Council has declared that it cannot be with taxpayer dollars. It is encouraged that our citizens offer any support they can to the group. Council has offered to process any potential donations as this will allow for the issuing of charitable tax receipts, giving the donor a break on their personal income taxes.

“It brought me comfort that during the legal negotiations, the lawyer for the SMCCA stated their intention is to attempt renovations without funding from the Town of Stellarton,” noted Mayor MacGillivray.

The Town has offered the SMCCA a grant in lieu for their tax bill. Under the Municipal Government Act, they will be required to pay their taxes like anyone else, but the Town will provide them an annual grant for the same amount, as is done for the Sobeys Multi Sport Complex. This will not cost the Town, as there is currently $0 in tax revenue from that property.

The Town of Stellarton has a moral, and now legal, obligation to ensure all the public buildings are fully accessible by the year 2030. The first priority is making Town Hall accessible to every citizen. At present, Council Chambers, and the entire Town Hall, is not accessible for persons in wheelchairs. Not only is there no elevator in the building, but even the first floor has stairs, narrow hallways, lips on door entrances, and was not designed to accommodate people with disabilities. The Stellarton Police Service is an essential service that requires more space, along with better accessibility. The Town of Stellarton, in their capital planning, is retrofitting Town Hall in order to realize these required improvements. A modern Police Station, Administration Space, and Council Chambers are a must for the Town of Stellarton. The Town Hall is beautiful and historic and is required to be modernized for appropriate use well into the 21st century.

“We will work with the SMCCA but cannot put taxpayer dollars towards something that is non-essential. We already pay significantly for a very similar service at the PCWC and it is fully available to our citizens to utilize. That is the fiscal bottom line, the reality of the situation. The Town will support the SMCCA where we can appropriately do so, while protecting the taxpayer. Our hope is that the Stellarton Memorial Community Centre Association realize their ambitions,” concluded Mayor MacGillivray.

For more information:
Danny MacGillivray
Mayor, Town of Stellarton

(902) 759-6840