Latest news with #TrevorBazinet
CTV News
3 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Goderich Memorial Arena, likely to reopen, but not as arena
Safety and accessibility concerns prompted the closure of Goderich's famed Memorial Arena this January. But there's new hope that it will reopen. 'I'm hopeful that you will see the Memorial Arena not as an arena, but as a community center moving forward in our community down the road,' said Goderich's Mayor Trevor Bazinet. 061625 - Memorial Arena Goderich Mayor, Trevor Bazinet, standing in downtown Goderich as seen in June 2025. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) A consultant's report following extensive public input is recommending reopening Goderich's Memorial Arena as a multi-purpose facility. It will possibly be home to things like shuffleboard, basketball and indoor soccer, along with a community meeting and event space. The initial price tag to reopen the facility is estimated to about $90,000. The price tag for a full repurposing of the former arena into a community centre is somewhere between $11 and $14 million. 'It's a very difficult subject for everyone in town to confront. I love this old girl, everybody does. But we have to make financial decisions that are fiscally responsible,' said Goderich resident Steve Buchanan. 061625 - Memorial Arena Goderich resident, Steve Buchanan speaking outside the Goderich Memorial Arena. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) Buchanan would love to see the 75-year-old facility saved, but it can't come at any price, he contends. 'Just half of that 14 million bucks over a five year period would require about 178 bucks per citizens of Town of Goderich to finance just half of the 14 million bucks,' he said. Bazinet said while Goderich council has not made a decision on the exact future of the town's Memorial Arena that had been operating as a community centre since the ice was removed in 2018, he believes repurposing the existing structure sounds like the good plan. 061625 - Memorial Arena Goderich's Memorial Arena, currently closed, due to 'safety and accessibility concerns." (Scott Miller/CTV News London) 'We're not going to build something new. The structure of the current facility right now is fine. So, we're going to continue on with that facility. There's a lot of emotional attachment with that facility in the community. Can we change some things? Definitely. There's a comprehensive plan that was provided a lot of amazing things that we can consider,' said Bazinet. Buchanan believes if the repurposing plan becomes too expensive, demolishing the old arena is the next best option. 061625 - Memorial Arena Possibly layouts for repurposed Goderich Memorial Arena. (Source: GSP Group/Town of Goderich) 061625 - Memorial Arena Possibly layouts for repurposed Goderich Memorial Arena. (Source: GSP Group/Town of Goderich) 'If we can't do that, then let's turn it into housing. It's a perfect spot in this neighborhood. Perfect place for housing. Overlooks a park. The province right now is in a position to help municipalities out to build more housing. So that's the thing to do. But for God's sakes, make a decision and stop spending money we don't have,' he said. Bazinet said Goderich council is currently waiting to hear back from numerous service clubs. They've expressed interest in possibly raising funds towards a refurbished and repurposed facility before making a final decision on the future of the old Memorial Arena. 'I think it's important to work with our service clubs. They're the ones that are going to be using the facility quite a bit. And if we can form some type of partnership with them, then I think it's a win win for everybody,' said Bazinet.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Businesses urging customers to return as downtown construction hits one month mark in Goderich
Part of Goderich's Courthouse Square is under construction, which is impacting the number of visitors to the famed downtown, as seen on June 10. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) A lot's been accomplished in the past month, since work started on Goderich's Courthouse Square. But the bulldozers and dump trucks have certainly kept some people from venturing downtown. 'The traffic has slowed down, because people are thinking that things are not open on the Square, considering that we have all the fences up and whatnot,' said Jenny Iles, from the Den Juice Co. The $11 million project to replace 100-year-old water and sewer pipes under Courthouse Square in Goderich has closed down vehicular traffic for about a quarter of the square and it's a little louder downtown, but every single downtown business is still open, said Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet. 061125 - Goderich construction Part of Goderich's Courthouse Square is under construction, which is impacting the number of visitors to the famed downtown, as seen on June 10. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) 'Yes, there's construction downtown. Yes, it's a little disruptive, but you can still come downtown. You can drive three quarters of the square if you want as well. You can walk the entire square still,' said Bazinet. Bazinet said Goderich's downtown stores need support now more than ever, because this is just year one of a two-year project that will see a quarter of Goderich's famed Courthouse Square roadway ripped up at a time. 061125 - Goderich construction Part of Goderich's Courthouse Square is under construction, which is impacting the number of visitors to the famed downtown, as seen on June 10. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) 'We had the Pride Festival here on Saturday, and there were people everywhere enjoying themselves, just like there was no construction. So, please come to our downtown. Our businesses need to see you,' said Bazinet. While Goderich's core businesses understand that the work needs to be done, no one is happy about the obvious disruption that it's clearly having on their bottom lines. 'We completely understand that the work has to be done. If you look outside at some of the pipes that they have extracted, looks like it was due for them to come out,' said John de Jager from De Jager Pharmacy in Goderich. 061125 - Goderich construction Part of Goderich's Courthouse Square is under construction, which is impacting the number of visitors to the famed downtown, as seen on June 10. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) 'It's work that needs to be done, for sure. I mean, we want to grow Goderich and the population, and there's infrastructure work that needs to be done. So just, you know, rolling with it,' said Tim Damon, from the Den Juice Co. 'Is it something that we want to do? No, we don't want to do it, but it has to be done. We have to replace these things over time. It is going to be a painful process, but we just want to continue to send that message that the businesses are open and it is safe to be up here,' said Mayor Bazinet. Construction is expected to be completed on Goderich's Courthouse Square over the next two years, with the final top coat of asphalt laid down in 2027, in time for the town's Bicentennial. You can follow weekly progress on the project by visiting the Town of Goderich's website.
