BANFF – The gloves were dropped during an edgy council debate over an ice rink at Rotary Park in Banff.
At a council meeting on Monday (Jan. 6), a few councillors got testy over Coun. Hugh Pettigrew’s last ditch push to spend $16,000 of taxpayer dollars on an ice rink this winter, particularly because he had already tried to cut the 2025 operating budget by another two per cent earlier that day.
Knowing the community has an appetite for ice, Coun. Barb Pelham said she was torn because council had worked hard over six days of service review and budget deliberations to trim the budget from a proposed 7.9 per cent tax increase to 5.6 per cent.
“Coun. Pettigrew, you’ve been such a huge proponent of cutting and trimming and you’ve asked for an extra two per cent earlier today and I find it challenging at the last second you want to bump it up 0.6 per cent,” she said.
“I know it’s not a lot but I am having a debate with myself about it, and I know how popular ice is … I also know how hard we’ve worked to try to listen to our residents and to our business community who are imploring us to get it below five per cent.”
The drama began when Pettigrew piped in, noting the increase amounted to 0.06 per cent, not 0.6 as referenced by Pelham.
“Do the math,” he said tersely in response to her statements.
Taken aback, Pelham threw her arms in the air and exclaimed: “oh!”
Mayor Corrie DiManno was quick to interject, asking everyone to calm down.
“If we can all just remain respectful as per the procedures bylaw that would be great,” she said.
Pettigrew said he made a general statement to “do the math.”
“Nobody should be on pins and nails,” said Pettigrew, who until budget discussions, had previously excused himself from debate or voting on the park’s redevelopment because of optics associated with being a member of the Rotary Club’s executive team.
The ice rink will be part of the Banff Rotary Club’s $1.7 million redevelopment of Rotary Park on the 500 block of Banff Avenue.
Last month, council voted 6-1 to postpone construction until winter 2025-26 because an operating service agreement had not been finalized and the weather was unseasonably warm among other things.
Council did leave $15,000 of the $47,400 budget in case it is cold enough to get started on next winter’s rink in November or December.
Alison Gerrits, the Town of Banff’s director of community services, said the municipality has completed the servicing agreement on their end and sent the document to the Rotary Club.
“Email correspondence has been sent as follow-up and we haven’t received it back as of yet,” she said.
During his discussion at the council table, Pettigrew contacted the president of the Rotary Club.
“I have an answer from the president of the club of Rotary who says the agreement will be signed in two or three days,” he said.
DiManno jumped in: “With all due respect, it’s not very professional for you to be the liaison here during decision-making.”
Pettigrew: “Oh, I thought I was being helpful, honestly … I think it’s of essence.”
DiManno: “I know, but you’re speaking on behalf of a third party.”
Pettigrew said the redeveloped Rotary Park can accommodate an ice rink this winter, noting conditions had changed since construction was postponed until next November or December.
“I am not saying $15,000 is a small amount of money,” he said. “Is there value for the money? I think there’s value for the money.”
In the end, Pettigrew got no support to add roughly $16,200 to the budget and allocate $11,200 from the budget stabilization fund for his ice rink push, but who is responsible for paying for construction and maintenance of the ice rink has been somewhat contentious from the get-go.
Coun. Kaylee Ram said council was initially told by the Rotary Club that a community initiative would take care of the rink, not taxpayers.
“In October, it was brought forward that that would not be possible. It became a council issue …” she said.
“We are coming forward, we are stepping up to the table, and we are supporting the community.”
Banff currently has outdoor ice rinks at the recreation grounds and at the Fenlands.
