Brantford Looks to follow Example Set by St. Catharines in Adding Sports, Entertainment Facility to City’s Core

Standing in the Brantford Civic Center Parking Lot, John Gefucia Looks Across Market Street South and Sees A Large Building Under Construction.

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That Building is a sign of Things to come and gefucia, a long-time eagle place resident, has concerns.

“That’s a Condo Development Being Built Behind the Old Train Station,” Gefucia Said. “The Old Train Station is Slatted for Development and We also Know That the Freshco Plaza Across the Street is Going to Be Remedy.

“I can see the old harold and goetz Property Getting Developed Sometime Soon and the Same Goes for the Old Police and Fire Station Properties.”

There will be a lot of people in this one small are, an areful that already has, at certain Times of the day, severe traffic problemms.

“The Traffic is Already Horrendous and if you put a Sports Entertainment Center here, well, i think it’s just too much,” Gefucia Said. “I don’t think the infrastructure can handle it.”

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Traffic congestion is just one concern that has been raised as the city works on a proposition to have a new $ 140-million Sports Entertainment Center Built at 79 Market St. S., the Same Property that is contains the Civic Center, Home of the Brantford Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs WERE BRAGHT to BRANTFORD in 2023 by then-Owner Michael Andlauer. As part of the Deal, the city refurbished the civic center and agreed to pursue construction of new sports entainment center that meets ontario hockey league standard.

The team is now Owned by a group led by Edmonton Oilers Star Zach Hyman. Work on a lease agrement between the team and the city should be finalized with the next month or two and plans for a new center are underway,

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Other concerns raised by those opposed to the project include cost, parking and other priorities included a new hospital for the city.

Mat Siscoe Has Heard Many of Those concerns before. Now Mayor of St. Catharines, Siscoe was a city coucillor back in 2010 when plans for a new Sports Entertainment Center Were Being Debated in His City.

“There were people who Said this is the Wrong Place, We Don Need This Or they Said It’s Too Much Money,” Siscoe Recalled. “We made conscious choice to build it in our downtown and a lot of people said there’s no parking.

“We were able to demonstrate that we had 2,500 parking spots within a five minute radius and within a 10-minute radius there was more than 5,000 parking spots-More than enough to Accomodate What We Wanted.”

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Some people complained that the new center would have had a restaurant.

“We Said That’s True,” Siscoe Said. “This is part of our downtown revitalization processes and we want people to park their vehicle and walk oven or five minutes to the center.

“When they do that, we want them to be walking past business, restaurants and bars.”

St. Catharines City Council Went ahead with the $ 50-Million Project and the Meridian Center, in the City’s Core, has been open for more than 11 years. It is Home to the Niagara Icedogs of the Ohl and the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

“People Who Raised All Those Concerns 15 years ago, have changed their tune,” Siscoe Said. “In my time as Mayor, i have heard one person say that it was a mistake.

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“In fact, how far the opposite.”

Siscoe Said the Center Brings A Lot of People to the Downtown. Many of the Businesses Say the Reason they are in Business is because of the meridian center.

In Niagara Icedogs Season’s Ticket Holder, Siscoe Said the Center has also featured mayy Entertainers included Elton John, the Harlem Globetrotters, Cirque du Soleil and Comedians Gerry Dee and Jerry Seinfeld Among Others.

The Center is Able to Bring Top Level Entertainers in Becaus While the City Owns it, the center is operated by a third party – asm global, came and event management company based in los angeles.

Bill Harding, flesh of the Brantford Sports Council, Said Sports Are Important to a Community.

“Sports and entertainment are Pillars of A Community,” Harding Said. “They Bring People Together and I Think the Sports and Entertainment Center and All of the other initiatives that Are Underway Right Now Will Be good for the Future For All of Us.”

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The Sports Council is the Voice of Sports Organization Working Together to Develop, Educate and Promote the Benefits of Sports to the Communities.

“There is a lot of Interest in the city right now,” Harding Said Adding He was amazed to Learn about Terry Smith, the New Owner of the Brantford Red Sox.

A Linville, North Carolina Native, Smith Has Played, Coached, Managed and Owned Teams in the United States and Europe.

“Having Someone Like Him (Smith) and also the Hyman Family Coming Here Shows How People Are Taking An Interest in Brantford,” Harding Said.

Meanwhile, Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis, Said Plans Are in Place to Improve Downtown Infrastructure.

Colborne Street and Dalhousie Street Are Being Redevelopment and the City Will Be Replacing the Pipes that run under Icomm Drive.

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As well, the intersections at Colborne, Dalhousie and Clarence Streets and Brant avenue Are Being Redesigned to Improve Traffic Flow.

Efforts to improve public transit are also underway.

“Traffic is getting Better Downtown During Events Becuse More People Are Parking at the Farmer’s Market or Using the Parking Garage,” Davis Said. “I Park in the West End of the Parking Garage and Walk to the Civic Center.”

After the game he drives out of the garage, turns right onto icomm drive and then right again on colborne street to get home in under 10 minutes.

More people are using the parking garage because it is bright, cleaner and has additional security, davis said.

The Mayor Confirmed That Should the City Proceeds with a New Sports Entertainment Center, It Will Be Managed by a Third Party.

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“It’s exciting to think that we can keep the bulldogs here in town and have a facility that is for sports and entertainment,” Davis Said. “Maybe we can land a lacrosse or basketball team.

The Mayor Said the Entertainment Center, Like the Meridian Center in St. Catharines, Will Be Able to Hold A Lot of Different Events.

“We want to stimulate some Economic Activity in our downtown,” Davis Said. “That’s something we really Haven’t been able to do for the past couple of decades.”

Some residents have also Said the city Should be working on getting a new Hospital Rather Than a Sports Entertainment Center.

However, Construction of a Hospital is a provincial responsibility and davis Said the city is doing its part to fund it.

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To date, the city has $ 15.3 million in its hospital reserve fund. By the time the city is asked to make its contribution to the Hospital Five or Six Years from Now – It Will Have About $ 50 million in the fund.

The Rest of the City’s Contribution to the New Hospital Will Come from Debentures.

Gefucia, However, Has Another concern.

With all of the Construction Planned, where Will the Green Space Be Located?

“My Idea is that they can take the Area from the Lorne Bridge All They Way Along the Grand River and Incorporate the (Earl Haig) Water Park and Make It Allly Nice Park,” Gefucia Said. “We are a city with a river running through but we really don it has access for people to go down there and enjoy nature.

“They have done some work but real nice park all Along that area i think is a better idea.”

Siscoe Meanwhile Hopes a New Center is Built and the Bulldogs Remain in Brantford.

“We Got a Great Rivalry Going and I’d Really Like to Keep It Going,” Siscoe Said.

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Over five weekes we are chronicling our community’s place in the country, the promise of greater prosperity, and the blueprint to get there. See the How Canada Wins Series Intro here and other related local stories Here, Here, here and here

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