Amherstburg town council voted to move ahead Tuesday night with applying for a provincial grant that would cover approximately 50 per cent of the cost to redevelop Centennial Park.
The $1,060.000 project for H. Murray Smith Centennial Park calls for the construction of two tennis courts, two multi-purpose courts and an accessible concrete pathway.
One resident who attended the meeting was strongly opposed to council spending $530,000 on the project.
Bill Petruniak said this project is a want, not a need.
"All of this takes lots of money, more money than the town currently has. In light of this, why would you, our council, the people we elected to guide our town and manage our tax dollars even contemplate such a frivolous expenditure."
Earlier this year, council approved building a new fire hall at a cost of $11.3-million, $480,000 was approved to construct pickleball courts at the Libro Centre and last month approved in principle to develop a new townhall within the former General Amherst High School.
Petruniak said it was time for fiscal restraint.
"If you want to have a new town hall, you gotta earn it. Personally I don't think you're doing a good enough job. I don't like the way you've spent money so far in this term of council."
Mayor Michael Prue felt it was important to note that the approval would not result in a tax increase as the money was already accounted for and put aside through the new capital reserve and Development Charges Parks fund.
"If we put in this application now, we are eligible for 50 per cent funding from the province, if we don't put it in now and we wait, which was suggested, we're going to get zero."
Councillor Don McArthur said it was important not to get blinded by the numbers.
"When you're talking about 23,000 people in a town for something that's going to keep the kids happy, that's going to allow parents to play with their kids for decades, it's not a gargantuan sum. It's a reasonable sum for the joy and the happiness and the community connectivity that it will bring."
The request passed 5-2 with councillor Linden Crain and deputy mayor Chris Gibb opposed.
Crain preferred the discussion take place during budget deliberations or in future years.
"I really think it's important that we continue to funnel money back into the reserves and reduce our long term debt and perhaps revisit this $1-million project in the coming months."
Gibb said he understands residents want more amenities, but with all of the other projects on the go, he couldn't back this project.
"I think we're going to go into a tough budget and I get that spending this money won't affect the tax rate, but I have to come down on the side of wait and see."
If the town is unsuccessful in receiving the grant from the province, the town will move forward with partial funding of the redevelopment.
Council would also have the final determination of what is built.
