Toronto Star
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City pays for stadium, but can't play
Soccer facility allots residents only 14 free days a year
`You can't expect it to be manna from heaven': Pantalone
Jul. 7, 2006. 05:25 AM
VANESSA LU
CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF
Even though Toronto residents put up $10 million and the land to build a new soccer stadium at Exhibition Place, they will get free use of the facility only 14 days a year.
"It's a kick in the pants," said Councillor Maria Augimeri after the plans were presented to the economic development committee yesterday. "I'm very disappointed."
Augimeri (Ward 9, York Centre) said she had hoped that children and youth in the city's 13 vulnerable neighbourhoods such as Jane-Finch or Malvern would have plenty of access to the year-round facilities.
"At 14 days, that's only one day each for the 13 priority areas," she said. But it may not be even that much because the city's parks and recreation department may use some of those days for school championships and tournaments city-wide.
The 20,000-seat soccer stadium is being built with plenty of taxpayers' money: $27 million from Ottawa, $8 million from Queen's Park, almost $20 million from the city once land value is added in. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Leafs and Raptors, put up $8 million. In addition, MLSE purchased the naming rights for $10 million, which it will sell to a third party.
As part of the deal, MLSE will be bringing a major league soccer franchise called Toronto FC, set to play in the stadium when it is completed next March. It plays only 20 games at home a year. The stadium will also be used when Canada hosts the FIFA men's under 20 championships next year.
MLSE's executive vice-president Bob Hunter said yesterday that the stadium agreement calls for at least half of the year to be set aside for community use at hourly rates comparable to other similar facilities in the GTA. Priority will be given to Toronto residents.
"We're hoping we will get a lot more use than 50 per cent," said Hunter.
While the actual rental rates for community use are not set yet, Hunter said they will not be exorbitant.
Brenda Librecz, general manager for parks, forestry and recreation, said initially no free days for city use were negotiated.
"Should we get more? Yes, I would have liked to have more," said Librecz. "But it's better than we had.
"Fourteen is a good door opener. As we work through the year, we'll see how well it gets used," she said. "Maybe we won't even need all those 14 days."
Councillor Mike Del Grande, a vocal opponent to the stadium, said he worries that this will be like the SkyDome mess.
When the baseball dome opened in 1989, it had a final price tag of more than $600 million, paid mostly by taxpayers. Rogers Communications bought it in 2004 for $30 million.
"This (soccer stadium) was a bad deal," he said. "This deal will certainly start to unravel."
Del Grande argued that the city's $10 million would have been far better spent on building or upgrading existing soccer facilities across the city.
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, who spearheaded the effort to get the soccer stadium, defended the deal.
"At the end of the day, it's a tremendous facility that will be available," he said. "One wishes it could be free like our parks.
"But parks are funded by taxpayers on an annual basis," Pantalone said, adding the stadium is expected to pay for itself. "You can't expect it to be manna from heaven."
In addition, the Canadian National Exhibition will have access to stadium during its three-week run every summer at no cost.