Editor: What kind of shell game is being sold to the taxpayers? The mayor and administration are still not giving us an apples-to-apples cost estimate for the proposed Hub.
Back in October 2024, they compared renovating the Civic Centre at $37 million to combining the Civic Centre, Library (Chatham branch) and Museum into the proposed Hub at $54 million. Comparing apples to oranges.
They got pushback as we just can’t afford to pay higher taxes in Chatham Kent.
So in April 2025, they come back with a new estimate. Now they quote renovating all three locations at $108 million versus combining them into the Hub at $54 million. (Editor’s note: that comparison involves bringing the three existing buildings up to the same accessibility, energy efficiency and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act standards to which the Hub would be constructed to.) Again, comparing apples to oranges.
How about quoting combining all three locations into the current Civic Centre, adding on as necessary versus combining all three into the Hub? Only then can anyone make an informed decision.
The mayor, council and administration need to sharpen their pencils and tell us the real truth.
Karen Pynenbrouck
Chatham-Kent
