Essex council voted 5-2 Monday night to submit another application for provincial funding to help build new sports fields in Essex Centre.
The estimated project cost is $13 million, with the town seeking roughly $6.5 million from the province.
If approved, the grant could be combined with other grants and funding sources to reduce the municipality’s share of the project.
The proposed development, planned for the Highway 3 and North Malden Road area in Essex Centre, includes sports fields, parking, access roads, washrooms, a canteen, lighting and other supporting infrastructure. The stadium component is not included.
Administration said Essex Centre faces a shortage of sports fields, with demand identified by local baseball, soccer and football organizations and in multiple municipal recreation studies.
Some members of council, including outgoing Ward 3 councillor Jason Mayti, questioned whether the application could leave the next council facing a difficult financial decision.
“It just makes a difficult decision knowing that we might be tying the next council’s hands up where if they’re successful for this at a lower amount, they’re going to have to decide if they want to say no to the province or if they’re going to want to commit to the more long term debt on this project. It’s a tough, tough vote,” Mayti said.
Outgoing Ward 4 councillor Rodney Hammond also opposed moving forward, arguing the municipality should not be taking on additional financial commitments for the project.
“I don’t see the need at this time to invest $13 million into a sports field when we’ve got underutilized ones,” Hammond said.
Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley said that applying for the funding does not commit the town to spending money, but gives a future council another opportunity to secure outside funding.
“Because this is a stackable, to me it was a no brainer. We’re setting the next council up for success. They have that opportunity if we are successful and we’ll have a more successful project in the end,” Shepley said.
Mayor Sherry Bondy previously said the town strengthened its latest application by committing some proceeds from the sale of E.L.K. Energy shares toward the project, after provincial officials indicated municipalities needed to show their own financial commitment when seeking funding.