Why We Do It
‘We must begin to take decisive action now before the crisis becomes even more exacerbated’—Canadian Hockey Foundation
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Canada Desperately Needs New Arenas
And Huron Sports Services has the expertise and ability to provide them—at a cost that is both manageable and sustainable.
As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our hockey prowess and skills. It’s gold or nothing. We also believe an active, healthy lifestyle is of fundamental importance to individual personal happiness. But, as numerous commentators have pointed out, “something is rotten” in the state of our rinks and facilities.
The problem?
The majority of Canada’s 2600 arenas are beyond their life expectancy of 32 years, thus needing huge infusions of capital for renovation or rebuilding. Outdated design and poor maintenance have made many arenas inefficient, expensive and environmentally unfriendly.
According to Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson, minor hockey and the development of Canadian hockey players is being adversely affected by the lack of quality arenas and the poor state of existing ones.
Parks and Recreation Ontario and Sports Alliance Ontario have both cited poor recreational infrastructure as a deterrent to the promotion of active healthy lifestyles
Who Will Provide These Arenas?
The vast majority of Canadian arenas (86%) are municipally-owned. Therefore, it stands to reason that municipalities will be called upon to provide these arenas. But many municipalities do not have the money or the resources to do so.
The clock is ticking and the infrastructure gap is growing by the day. Already, the Canadian sport and recreation infrastructure deficit exceeds $15 billion. Many municipalities understand the needs of the public, but lack the necessary resources required for timely infrastructure planning and development. Huron Sports Services is uniquely qualified and positioned to provide expertise and the necessary resources. This strategic partnership has been created specifically to deliver and manage the desperately needed infrastructure—and at an affordable cost to the municipalities.
Benefits of a P3 Solution
A Public Private Partnership (P3) is any venture where the public and private sectors combine talent and resources in furtherance of a common goal. P3s effectively combine the government’s strength in planning and managing the present and future needs of the public, and the private sector’s strengths of innovation and efficiency.
Some key benefits of a P3 structure include:
- Risk transfer
- Prompt delivery
- Cost certainty
- Private sector innovation
- Capital/Operating/Lifecycle Cost optimization
- Municipal resources free to focus on core strengths
Why a P3?
P3s are first and foremost partnerships, wherein synergies can be realized by combining unique skills and resources of the public and private partners. In well structured P3s, the municipality remains involved as a partner; risk transfer, innovation and efficiency ensure the public money is well spent; and contractual relationships and market forces ensure partners interests are aligned and the private partner is accountable. The variety of delivery models available ensure that regardless of a municipality’s capital budget, capital asset needs can be addressed through a P3 solution.
For further information on the arena and recreational facilities infrastructure gap in Canada, check out the links below:
Canadian Recreation Facilities Council (CFRC) National Arena Census, May–Dec 2005: www.sportalberta.ca/Research/CRFC%20Final%20Report2006.pdf
Toronto Star article March 15, 2008 - “How Canada Is Killing Hockey”: http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Hockey/article/346423
Hockey Canada - “Arena Infrastructure in Canada, A Message from Bob Nicholson”: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/25514/la_id/1.htm
Parks and Recreation Ontario - “Investing in Healthy Ontarians through Recreation and Parks Infrastructure”: www.prontario.org/PDF/InfrastructureSummary.pdf