Tommy's #1 SHANIA TWAIN SuperSite Message Board

CITY HALL
Posted By CHELSEY ROMAIN THE DAILY PRESS

The Shania Twain Centre has been a subject of discussion and some controversy for years in Timmins.

With the new restructuring of the city department it falls under, council will soon have to make a decision on the future use of the site.

City director of community and development services Mark Jensen and manager of culture, leisure and tourism Andrea Griener presented their recommendations to council last night on their own recommendations of possibilities for the site.

With graphs that clearly show a decline in the use of the Shania Twain Centre over the past three years, Griener said council will soon have to decide the future use of the site.

"The backlash is always going to be there with respect to that facility," said Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic. "If we try new things to get residents up there to use the facility, then we won't experience that backlash."

Gvozdanovic was opposed to bringing in a consultant to help with a business plan for the centre, stating it was someone coming in and telling council what to do in their own city.

But by trying new things, and keeping track of the numbers, he said, he's hopeful to see those numbers increase.

"Talk to the kids and find out what kind of events they want to see up there," Gvozdanovic said.

During their presentation, opportunities were highlighted from a stakeholders meeting that took place last December.

In the study that was presented, the Shania Twain Centre/Gold Mine Tour committee recommended the centre's focus expanding beyond the Timmins singer. Ideas included establishing a school for the performing arts, an exhibition centre for music, entertainment and popular culture, as well as to be used as a community events centre.

"I think we should highlight current musicians in the community," said Coun. Pat Bamford, "especially those doing well outside the community who have made a name for themselves."

In the past year or so, the Shania Twain Centre has been pulling double duty as an event centre, bringing in more than 3,700 people for non-Shania related events.

Every year, events like the Canada Day and Halloween celebrations, Christmas choirs and the annual museum craft show pulls in hundreds of people. Several events are already planned for the upcoming year.

According to Griener, the visits to the centre have been dramatically low, and a graph showed that at peak summer season ticket sales remained under the $9,000 mark for the past three years.

In order to enhance the centre and bring more people to it, one of the suggestions brought to council was the idea of moving the skating oval to the Gold Mine Tour site from Gillies Lake.

Councillors John Curley and Jack Slattery stated they would be in favour of changing the location of the oval. Both said it would be easier to maintain, and the city wouldn't have to depend on ice conditions.

But Gvozdanovic said moving it would take away from the uniqueness of what Gillies has to offer.

"I like the idea of trying something new, but there's something unique about skating on Gillies Lake," he said. "There's nothing unique about skating behind the Shania Twain Centre."

Coun. Michael Doody suggested a better location for the skating oval would be Hollinger Park, where the baseball diamond would offer an Olympicsized rink for families and speed skaters alike.

The report suggested the Gold Mine Tour site would provide a place to warm up, lace up their skates and enjoy some hot chocolate, while providing the city with longer ice time and increased visitation to the site.

http://www.timminspress.com/Article....aspx?e=2200713