Hollingsworth Arena can be sold and still used for hockey. Here's how.

There are many times when I sit back and ask myself, "Why doesn't Newmarket Council look at the obvious options?"

The issues with Hollingsworth are well known.  At 40 years old, it's an facility that is reaching the end of its life.  Despite that fact, there is truth to what Ward 3 Councillor Jane Twinney says too.  The arena is still in relatively good condition.  If there wasn't an offer to purchase from developer San Michael, we wouldn't be talking about tearing the building down.  We'd be quietly maintaining the structure and hoping to wring out a few more seasons out of the arena.

But the San Michael offer is reportedly a good one.  Probably too good to pass up, especially in an area of town that is prime for some re-development.  Building kitty-corner to the hospital is sure to attract buyers who work at Southlake.  Wouldn't we all like a home so close to work?

Yet the history of condominium construction in Newmarket should give everyone on Council pause to look at the best alternatives to keeping Hollingsworth.

One such option, and the preferred choice at the moment, is a P3 option (Private Public Partnership) of a new arena for the Pickering College grounds.

Another option is to build a third ice pad at the Ray Twinney Complex with its ample land and parking already in place.  This option is estimated to cost approximately $10 million according to staff.

But looking at how slow developers have been to build condominiums on projects already approved by the Town (such as Slessor Square and George St to name a couple), why not look at a third option for the Town?

The option I would propose is to sell the Hollingsworth land and then lease back the use of the arena for the next few years as San Michael goes through the process of selling units prior to construction.  This would be a win-win for both the developer and for Newmarket arena users.

San Michael can make some revenue in terms of rent on land that would otherwise sit empty.  And Newmarket doesn't need to spend millions of dollars to build a new arena if it can get a few more years out of Hollingsworth at a reasonable cost.