Pictou County Wellness Centre deficit worth it, New Glasgow mayor says

Despite running deficits that tally$2.4million since openingthreeyears ago, the mayor of New Glasgow says he considersthe Pictou County Wellness Centre is a"tremendous piece of infrastructure" that's important to thecommunity.

The centre ran a$813,637 deficitin the past fiscal year,but Mayor BarrieMacMillan said that's what's neededto attractnew people to the community and keepexistingresidents.

"Infrastructure relates to sustainable communities,"MacMillan said, pointing to the 55+ Games recently held there. The gamesdrew around800 athletes plus their families to the town, money MacMillan noteswould have gone elsewhere without the centre.

Power costs double what was expected

Even so, thewellness centre's board is concerned about the deficit, says MacMillan, who chairs the board. He acknowledges not everyone is happy with shortfall.

"It's not met with 100 per cent acceptance,but I can tell you, it's metwith acceptance from the majority of tax-paying citizens," MacMillan said.

Officials knew when the facility was built it would runat a loss, but no one expected it to be as large as it is, he said.Power costs are twice as high as expected anda consultant is currently looking intowhy, MacMillansaid.

The facility, which opened in December 2012, cost $38.7million to build. That waspaid for by all three levels of government, andthrough business and community fundraising.

The centrehouses two rinks, a swimming pool, a gym, awalking track andconference facilities, plusthe YMCA, which has a five-year contractto operate on the site.

New Glasgow pays largest slice of the deficit

ChadMcDavid, general manager of thePictouCounty Weeks CrushersJunior A hockey organization, said his group is thrilled tohavethe facility in the community.

"To be able to have everything under one roof two sheets of ice, aquatic centre and a gym has a huge impact on our athletes," McDavidsaid.

It's also "a very good recruiting tool for our junior program to showcase this facility to players who may be interested in coming to our community," he said

The communities of New Glasgow, Pictou, Stellarton, Trenton and Pictou County split covering the shortfall. For the last fiscal year, New Glasgow paid the largest amount at $339,995.

Similar facilities across the country run deficits, including one in Truro, MacMillan said.