MARATHON, Ont. – Marathon’s town council has settled on a waterfront location for a multi-million dollar indoor recreation centre project.
Mayor Rick Dumas called Thursday’s vote a key step in what he hopes will be a transformational revitalization of Marathon’s downtown – and a crucial element in the town’s plans to capitalize on a projected mining boom in the area.
A previously favoured location on Stevens Avenue for the “active living centre” was discarded because it’s being used by Generation Mining as a work camp, but Dumas called the new location along the waterfront a perfect fit.
“Administration and council worked with architectural [and] landscape designers to look at the waterfront property, to re-enhance the old downtown core of Marathon – enhancing the waterfront development along with the boat launch, having the active living centre there, putting in tennis courts, ball parks, soccer pitches.”
Dumas said it’s part of larger plans to make over the community’s downtown.
“We’ve been talking about redeveloping part of where the Everest hotel was, the old dormitories, and even the Lakeview Hall, which will come down eventually, and redeveloping that with some nice, modern condos which would be overlooking the water.”
Work is also planned to connect the Group of Seven, Trans-Canada, Voyageur, and waterfront trails, he added.
Marathon's current recreation centre is over 40 years old and due for capital replacement, according to a 2017 feasibility study.
That study pegged the expected cost of a complex including a pool, community centre, and 1,000 seat arena at just shy of $34.5 million.
With a new location approved, town administration will include development costs for the project in the 2023 budget, said Dumas.
The town will also be looking to the provincial and federal governments, as well as corporate and community donations and long-term loans, for financing.
“[It’s] no different than anybody buying a home and mortgaging for 25 years,” said Dumas. “This facility will operate for the next 50 or 60 years in our community. Everybody should have the opportunity to utilize it, but everybody should also have a contributing part in paying for it.”
Representatives for the Town of Marathon could not immediately be reached Friday to clarify budget and location details.
With files from Al Cresswell, CFNO