MONCTON – An economic development consultant says a new events centre could help revive Moncton’s downtown if it’s part of a larger plan.
David Campbell with Jupia Consultants says the project needs to be much more than just the centre.
“If anybody thinks you’re going to put a facility downtown to replace Highfield Square and that’s it, well, absolutely not,” said Campbell. “There has to be a much broader strategy. We have to bring more office activity downtown and more businesses, more professional services.”
City council is still working out details for the new centre. They want to build it on the site of former Highfield Square Shopping Centre. It could have up to 7500 seats, an NHL-sized ice surface and an outdoor civic space.
Business owner Shane Scott says the downtown needs to become a place more businesses turn to. Scott runs Sequoia, a natural and organic products store located near Highfield Square.
He says his “heart and soul” belongs downtown. But many others don’t feel the same way.
“You take a stroll down Main Street and all you see is vacant and leased stores where there used to be businesses,” he said.
Scott is hoping the new centre could draw more people through his doors.
“Hopefully more traffic on the way by means more traffic in my store,” he said.
City Councillor Charles Leger has been driving the project forward, and said despite the $100-million price tag, the centre is an investment that will succeed.
“There has to be a certain amount of planning and a calculated risk and I think that’s what this is about and I’m very confident we can make it happen,” he said.
Council plans on choosing a private sector partner at some point in 2014 and they’re hoping construction will begin in 2015.
Comments