The idea that Ponoka may have post-secondary education within its boundaries is an exciting one.
With support of town council, administration is moving forward with its lease negotiations that could see a brand-spanking new civic building/learning centre in place of the old hospital. Just the idea of removing that building is a good news story (see page 2).
The ancient, kinda creepy and out of style building is an eyesore that many residents would be hard-pressed to speak in favour of keeping. Plus the property is one beautiful piece of land that could be a northern gateway to downtown Ponoka if a new building sat on it.
I can’t think of anything that has come by way of Ponoka as exciting as this potential development. Certainly the $500,000 plus annual price tag is not something one shrugs off. Residents will be on the hook for the cost but what it brings to the town may just be worth the investment.
Where the dividends come in is with post-secondary training, bringing skilled workers right into the community along with the secondary businesses that will come to support the needs of the learning centre.
There are other areas the town can spend its money: plans to update the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex being one and the RCMP have been pushing for some years now to build a new RCMP detachment.
Weighing the benefits of each of these three major projects is an important exercise.
With the arena, residents would see expanded services or at least multiple recreation services in one spot. The possible $20 million price tag makes one blink a few times. Benefits would come in new amenities for residents and could be just the thing that makes people want to move to Ponoka, which adds to the town’s tax revenue.
Right now the town can borrow up to $16 million of the $24 million debt limit available. Paying for the arena would have to come not just from borrowing but with some type of tax increase and maybe sponsorship and fundraising.
A new RCMP detachment, last proposed location was in the Froman Industrial Park, starts at a $6 million price tag (2013 numbers). RCMP detachments are built like forts, they have incredibly detailed and concise building guidelines; there is no skimping when it comes to a police detachment.
Benefits for the detachment will be in newer services for members and will bring continued policing and investigative services with potential of expansion.
The town would have to borrow/debenture money to build a new detachment but a portion of the costs eventually get paid back to the town over the course of the life of the building. That money comes from the RCMP.
With the learning centre, development would begin immediately and the town could be moving in this year. As the proposal shows the town would lease the building, removing the costs of building maintenance or repairs. The long-term lease would go for the next 35 years.
The idea that the old hospital will be taken down is an exciting one. That eyesore has been sitting on the property for so long that some people have just gotten used to its presence.
I imagine grandparents telling their grand kids about the good old days of when they were born there, and then after it was closed, the old hospital ghost could finally loosen its belt and just hang out on the stairs without anyone bothering it.
But what is more exciting is the kick-start and much-needed boost this project may give the town, and its residents. Its completion will show that Ponoka is ready to move forward and the momentum from this project will have ripple effects that will last for years.
If anything it will also increase the property value of nearby homes and will become a downtown anchor point. With the town working on it’s Downtown Action Plan, all the pieces are in place to see some exciting development within the Town of Ponoka.
Ponoka News editor Jeffrey Heyden-Kaye is a member of the Ponoka Jubilee Library board of directors.