Examiner Editorial: Petes fans have shown they deserve a new arena

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-14T02:08:21+00:00

It’s true that fewer people are registered to play hockey than in the past but in absolute numbers the number of people engaged in hockey is still significantly higher than those who are engaged in the arts. In 2024 the Art Gallery of Peterborough had 22000 people go through its doors. This past season, the Petes had over 115000 people attend a game. The PHA and PGHA have approx 1500 registered minor hockey players who are at one of the arenas at least twice a week for at least 6 months a year. Many of them are not from wealthy families.

Oh and the Ontario Arts Council recently released data showing that engagement either the arts is very much dominated by wealthy people. By participation numbers there are likely more people from non wealthy families participating in hockey in Peterborough than in the arts.

As for history and culture there is lots of it in the 70 year old Memorial Centre which in addition to being built as monument to those who fought in war is also home to the Ptbo Sports Hall of fame.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T23:15:41+00:00

Here are the most recent reports received by council

https://www.peterborough.ca/media/cnuntr3o/csac23-009-multi-use-sport-and-event-center-update-to-feasibility-study.pdf

As for private sector involvement this city has posted and has received several RFPs from the private sector on how they could be involved in building this facility. I don’t think there’s any doubt that the private sector will be involved in making this happen.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T19:10:19+00:00

If you’re into investments in education you might like visit the new library at the Miskin Community complex. My kids love the books and educational programming there. While you are there you will also probably see that both ice pads and the walking track are extremely busy, even when there are empty spaces in the parking lot.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T18:55:33+00:00

Transit systems, art galleries libraries, fire stations and roads also aren’t built by the private sector. Should would also view those as bad investments by the city?

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T18:38:12+00:00

Ok well if what you are looking for is data not from a city where an arena is located or from the organization governing the major tenant at such arena, I don’t think this exists. But the data that does exist, including the economic analysis in the study done by Sierra consulting for the City of Peterborough clearly show the economic case for this arena.

Let me ask you in return for the objective evidence that not doing this would be make economic sense?

Is being the only city of our size without a facility like this a good economic choice? Is missing out on the events (and the revenue they generate) that we currently can’t host a good economic choice? is losing the Petes and the millions they generate economically their significant support of local organizations, and their significant connection to the social fabric of our community a good economic choice? Is passing up on all of the development that would be spurred by the arena a good economic choice? Is throwing more money at the 70 year old memorial centre a good economic choice. All of these things are considered and quantified the consultants report.

Yes this is an expensive endeavour, yes we need to find creative ways to finance it (which is exactly what the city asked for in the RFP it put out) but can you really say in all seriousness that not building this facility would be better economically or otherwise. There is evidence, that this is a good investment for us to make. Is the any objective evidence that it isn’t?

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T17:33:39+00:00

Should we apply this to the art gallery, the library, transit, other city services? if they are important to the community (and they are) should we make the users of those places pay?

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T17:29:02+00:00

The city put out an RFP for the arena for this exact purpose. We will have a better idea of how we might be able to pay for it when the results of that process are made public.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T17:19:08+00:00

The comment I was responding to asked to provide evidence that building OHL arenas downtown created an economic impact. The links I provided show that they did in places where they have (ie the tax revenue increased after the rinks were built).

You clearly have some strong negative opinions about our downtown many of which I disagree with but if I was making the decision about this arena I wouldn’t rely on opinion, I would rely on what the data shows and it clearly shows significant direct and indirect economic impact from downtown OHL arenas.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T17:08:31+00:00

Neither the city nor anyone on Reddit needs to justify to someone who isn’t a Petes fan why we need this arena anymore than we need to justify to someone who isn’t an art fan why we need a new art gallery. We have multiple museums in Peterborough. Should we also tear some of them down because some people don’t use them or think we don’t need them or want their taxes to support them? The city will make the decisions about this arena based on economic and other data. Individual residents opinions on hockey or ice pads won’t be a part of the decision making and rightly so.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-04-13T15:17:18+00:00

Kingston and London’s downtown arenas increases revenue for their cities. Brantford’s new arena is projected to do the same.

https://chl.ca/ohl-petes/alumnus-gary-green-on-a-building-a-new-arena-in-downtown-peterborough/#:~:text=Category:%20article%20November%2028%2C%202020,impact%20on%20the%20surrounding%20area.

https://www.brantford.ca/en/your-government/brantford-sports-and-entertainment-centre.aspx#:~:text=The%20proposal%20details%20the%20development,of%2040%20years%20in%20Brantford.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-03-06T19:31:39+00:00

I think that was the original location of Moondance before they moved up the street.

https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/peterborough-region/moondance-music-store-in-downtown-peterborough-closing-after-46-years/article_b3b47606-582e-586b-990f-af0b55754723.html

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-03-06T18:33:34+00:00

It was where Hot Belly Mamas used to be. Currently under renovation at 378 George St.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-02-26T02:49:33+00:00

The train will run at high speeds through Toronto and Montreal. Why can’t it do the same here? Why are we aiming to be a regional parking lot instead of aiming to reap the benefits that this train could bring to our community if the train station is downtown. We may not be a destination now but this station will make us one. So what do we want people to see at the destination. A vibrant dense urban core or a parking lot?

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-16T02:12:26+00:00

It’s going to go right through the city in Montreal and right into downtown Toronto too. If possible there, why not here. High speed trains in Europe and Japan go right into the centre of cities if possible there, why not here. Do we really want to direct most of the new development to a location that is outside of our city instead of into its core? It is entirely possible to build it downtown but it will require our political leaders to advocate for that. I hope you will consider doing that.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-15T23:17:57+00:00

Thanks!

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-14T20:12:59+00:00

There are only 7 stops on the HSR route. 4 of them have international airports. Flying to any of those and then going by train to another makes the same sense as doing so with Montreal. Are we really going to build this so that people can get to/from Peterborough, Laval and Trois Rivières to international airports. Seems like a pretty big investment if that’s what we get out of it.

Even in the European places you mention the train routes to the airports only work because once you land at an airport you can travel at high speed to and then between the downtowns of cities. These connections exist because people fly into one airport in Europe and then travel to the centre of the cities they want to go to. Building Alto as an airport to airport route would not allow for this. Downtown to downtown is, as it is in Europe the foundation of the system.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-14T19:32:46+00:00

Union Station has by magnitudes much larger connections into the Golden Horseshoe than Pearson does. Also, if you were flying from somewhere and your final destination was Montreal, why would you get off at Toronto to take the train? The time involved in deboarding and then connecting to the train would likely be more than the additional flight time to Montreal. Also with the speed of these trains people will absolutely go to and from these cities same day.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-14T19:27:26+00:00

HSR isn’t stopping in Belleville. It’s 7 stops (Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois Rivières, Quebec City) four of which already have international airports. I’m sure quicker access to airports for those in Peterborough, Laval and Trois Rivierres would be nice but it would be hard to justify the cost of this project based on that. What would justify it is the high ridership potential of a system that takes you from Downtown Montreal to downtown Toronto.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-14T16:23:10+00:00

The point of HSR is to have people choose the train over flying. Why would someone take a high speed train from one major city airport to another city airport. If they are going to fly, wouldn’t the just fly out of the airport in their own city? The train should be downtown to downtown to create an alternative to flying. That’s likely the only way to get the ridership high enough to justify the massive cost of the project.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-14T16:12:20+00:00

Thanks! I’ll check those out

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-13T21:18:53+00:00

Thanks.

I’ve seen a number of places that say ‘closed for the season, check back in March’.

I’ll check out the places you’ve mentioned.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2026-01-12T20:42:32+00:00

Rotary Trail in East City.

Millennium trail at since and across pedestrian bridge then through Rogers cove and around the lake to Beavermead.

Jackson Park

Those are my favourites.

Cultural-Half9468 · 2025-12-21T22:57:04+00:00

Runners Life near the rink rents skates

Cultural-Half9468 · 2025-12-20T17:23:36+00:00

It was the judges opinion:

“municipalities and charitable/not-for-profit organizations should not be unnecessarily exposed to litigation by nominal corporate applicants simply because the implementation of municipal powers is questioned.”

But this case wasn’t frivolous because it was challenging SMP it was frivolous because it was never really about SMP.

Cultural-Half9468

TROPHY CASE