This web site shows the arena expansion proposal (also known as the Living Life Mission Project) presented to council by Arena Manager Jim Bryson at the August 23, 2005 St Marys council meeting.   The presentation was a last minute addition to the agenda.

Council requested the staff presentation after consultants Monteith Brown said they could not recommend the project.   The consultants were brought in by the town at a cost of about $29,000.   Monteith Brown's 77-page Recreation Complex Expansion Feasibility Study can be downloaded from www.townofstmarys.com; Their findings are shown here.   Before that, in 2004 St Marys council had commissioned a report from Fred Galloway of F J Galloway and Associates, London, Ontario. "The St Marys Living Life Project: Preliminary Proposal Review" questioned the feasilibilty of the project.

After the presentation town council passed two motions

Motion No. 222-2005: Moved by Councillor Edney, seconded by Councillor Cunningham that the Town Council for the Separated Town of St. Marys establishes ad hoc committees to ensure a successful expansion and refurbishment of the St. Marys Arena and Community Centre complex.

The committees and members are as follows:
Design and Construction – Councillors Symons and Teahen, Bruce Grant and Jim Bryson
Finance – Councillors Osborne and Teahen, Bruce Grant and Vicki Brant
Program – Councillors Edney and Luna, Stephanie Ische, Jim Bryson and Sharon Barnes
Public Relations – Councillors Cunningham and Symons, Lori Wolfe and Kelly Baird
Mayor Winter is ex officio of all teams.

Motion No. 227-2005: Moved by Councillor Teahen, seconded by Councillor Osborne that the Town Council for the Separated Town of St. Marys instructs staff to undertake a selection process for an architect to perform design services for upgrades and expansion at the arena and community centre.

October 25,2005 Mayor Winter and Councillors Cunningham and Teahen voted to pay $124,000 to Garwood-Jones and Hanham Architects, the architect selected by staff.   Councillors Osborne and Symons opposed.   Councillors Luna and Edney were absent.

The architects final report would be submitted to council in January 2006.

In January 2006 instead of submitting a final report the architect asked for and received another $10,000 from council.
 

The presentation was later described in a March 15 letter from Louis Vermond to the local newspaper as a 'snake oil show'.
The format of the meeting was described as 'the usual charade' in a March 22 letter from John O'Drowsky.

In the same edition of the Journal/Argus the editorial by General Manager/Editor Laura Payton called for either a plebiscite on the project or a delay so the project can be debated during this fall's municipal election.

A week later the March 22 issue of the Journal Argus was expanded by 4 pages to accommodate 12 letters on the arena expansion.   Only 1 of the 12 letters was fully in favour of proceeding, it was from project sponsor the St Marys Hockey Association .