As a Greater Victoria bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games moves toward conversations with the province and federal governments, Esquimalt reminded the public that it has not supported the effort financially.
A previous closed-door decision by Esquimalt city council, revealed this week, saw the local politicians vote against supporting a request for $25 million worth of in-kind services, to be shared proportionately by the Capital Regional DistrictB次元官网网址檚 13 municipalities. Mayor Barb Desjardins said the biggest concern for the township was the potential security costs.
Numbers she has heard tossed around in the community have ranged from $100 million to $400 million. B次元官网网址淚t would mean significant stress on our local police and at this time, we donB次元官网网址檛 want to support that,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said.
But Victoria bid committee chair David Black says the committee plans to ask the federal government to cover the cost of outside security. He noted that security for the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto B次元官网网址� a larger event than the Commonwealth Games B次元官网网址� cost an estimated $180 million. Experts have told the Victoria committee that the regionB次元官网网址檚 compact geography and the shorter distance between venues and the athletes accommodations, would likely reduce the cost of security, potentially to $50 million.
B次元官网网址淲hen it comes to security, the experts say it is far cheaper to protect a small place and compact facilities than a large metropolitan area with spread-out venues, he said.
Desjardins expressed concern at hearing a proposal without a business plan. B次元官网网址淚t was kind of, say B次元官网网址榶esB次元官网网址� now and weB次元官网网址檒l figure it out later B次元官网网址� and this is public money,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e have to be accountable to the public as to why weB次元官网网址檙e going to spend their hard-earned tax dollars.B次元官网网址�
Much of the information council based their decision on was gathered by city staff, she added, rather than committee organizers.
Black said the committee has calculated that approximately $17 million of the $955-million estimated cost of staging the Games would be paid by local taxpayers, or roughly about 1.8 per cent, spread across the region. That budget total does not include an estimate for security, he said, as it is unknown at this time.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lots of benefits to different communities,B次元官网网址� Desjardins acknowledged. B次元官网网址淚 can see why Langford would be interested, theyB次元官网网址檙e looking to build stadiums.B次元官网网址�
But for Esquimalt, she said, it was unlikely any events would be held there as previous venues no longer support the size of the Games, and there is little to no room to build new ones. B次元官网网址淚t was not a decision made lightly.B次元官网网址�
For now, Mayor Desjardins remains focused on housing and transportation for the region, two busy files on which projects have slowed due in part to labour shortages. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want the focus to come off these things to focus on the Games.B次元官网网址�
The deadline for Victoria to submit its bid is Sept. 30. Before then the committee needs to secure funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments.
