Moose Jaw Forum

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Amanda Stephenson


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The $61.3 million "Mosaic Place" will be the chief attraction February 3 and 4 when Medicine Hat's city council travels to Moose Jaw for a special strategic planning session.

While council annually holds a behind-closed-doors planning session to draft priorities for the year ahead, this year they have chosen to hold the meeting in a city that has succeeded where Medicine Hat so far has failed.

In August of this year, Moose Jaw opened the doors of its brand-new multiplex, which includes not only a hockey rink for the city's WHL team, but a soccer field, eight curling sheets, and convention space.

"We've heard a lot about the Moose Jaw arena, and the fact that it came in — along with a recreation centre and a curling rink — at the $60 million range. So that is certainly encouraging," says Ald. Graham Kelly, who is currently spearheading the City of Medicine Hat's efforts to move ahead with its own Regional Event Centre.

"They (Moose Jaw) went through so much community strife — plesbiscites and everything," says Ald. Ted Clugston. "We want to hear how they got it done, and if the community is behind it now."

Council will not only have a chance to tour the facility and speak to Moose Jaw council members, they will also attend a Moose Jaw Warriors game at Mosaic Place.

"It will give us the opportunity to see the arena functioning... I think that's a great part of it too," says Ald. Wayne Craven.

Craven, who came up with the idea of the Moose Jaw visit, said council also hopes to learn something about downtown redevelopment from the "Friendly City."

Over the last decade or so, Moose Jaw has transformed its downtown into a tourist destination that features a casino, first-rate spa, and an Al Capone-themed "Tunnels of Moose Jaw" attraction.

"I thought because they've done so many interesting things downtown that we could tour the downtown area and talk to the council about what they've done there too," Craven says.

Clugston says he expects the trip will "absolutely" be useful.

"The problem is that the naysayers never have vision," Clugston says. "Sometimes, once you can see something, it helps. You realize that it is possible to build something nice in a community."

The City of Moose Jaw went through years of rancorous debate, two plebiscites, and a lawsuit launched by opponents of the project before finally bringing Mosaic Place to completion. In the end, the City of Moose Jaw contributed $34.5 million to the facility, while a local fundraising campaign brought in $11 million. The facility has recently secured major sponsorship from Mosaic, Great Western Brewery, Tim Hortons, and Ford.

In October, the City of Medicine Hat hired the same project management company that worked on the Moose Jaw multiplex to tackle the Regional Event Centre. The company, MHPM Property Managers Inc., has been reviewing the 2009 design and feasibility study which pegged the cost of the proposed project at $94.5 million. MHPM is expected to report back to council later this month on whether an acceptable facility can be built for a lower price tag.

And the city faced tax increases and an inability to look after basics like roads etc. Amazing how that never got mentioned! Still waiting for influx of doctors and good paying jobs,too.Spa,casino & tunnels were already here.

Not to mention this summer June, July and August when the complex will probably be locked up as tight as the old Civic Center was. Oh yes, management will be taking holidays about that time and still drawing an exceptional salary at Tax Payers expense. I can't see any big draw concerts or conventions during that time when they have to compete with Craven, holidays, and cabin at the lake.

What a load of unrealistic Blue Sky trash! Can't even get the facts straight! I bet there will be no discussion about how much taxpayer REVENUE has been funneled off to support and operate this Multi-mess - including all the unfulfilled pledges and pledge financing! You can count on all the detailed fiscal realities being hidden from the visitors with the presentation of a "golden picture"!

If MH was wise, they would come and see how not to do it.

Too bad for the people of MH, it looks like their media is taking the same road as the ones here and spinning nothing but blue sky propaganda.

I think what they need to do is canvas the downtown business men and see if they can get anyone to pledge a million dollars in less then a hour.

Once that is completed hire a board with a decent salary to get good people and move it all behind closed doors from that point on.

Also if they could bring the children of the community into the process it always helps.

see, i told all of you something good will come out the multiplex and here is the proof - the rest of the world is saying 'look whats going on in moose jaw'

but seeing as how moose jaw was based off chilliwack what does that say. i hope medicine hat doesn't put too much stock into what they see here.

I questioned the numbers also Catrain...I wish if the story was going to be told, it would be told right..with the right numbers first of all.
I wonder, when these people visit here, do they not see a tired little city with terrible streets? And all the rest of the infrastructure that is falling apart?

Panda Girl wrote:I think what they need to do is canvas the downtown business men and see if they can get anyone to pledge a million dollars in less then a hour.

Once that is completed hire a board with a decent salary to get good people and move it all behind closed doors from that point on.

Also if they could bring the children of the community into the process it always helps.

Typical woman, always looking for the "business men" to take care of it.