All good things come to an end and so it should be with the Roll-A-Dome.
After 64 years of service, there's nothing wrong with the building that can't be fixed by the blade of a Cat D-8. The Pomeroy Group is set to develop a 243-room hotel on the corner of Highways 16 and 97, while the Roll-A-Dome currently sits on the proposed parking lot.
The building may be structurally sound at the moment but for how much longer? Its best years are long past and esthetically, the facility is already an eyesore parked on the busiest corner of the city.
Concerned residents and the P.G. Dome Society are working valiantly to save the Roll-A-Dome by coming up with over $1 million to buy the property and land, as well as put together a business proposal to justify the continued operation of the building.
Their efforts are commendable but they are trying to save the wrong thing. While the land is increasingly valuable, the 30,000 square-foot building is all but worthless. What happens inside those four walls, however, is priceless and that's what really needs to be saved.
As Ted Clarke's story on the front of today's Citizen Extra explains, the dome's two indoor arenas are currently used for "roller skating, roller derby, skateboarding, soccer, ball hockey, lacrosse, baseball, boxing, freestyle skiing, BMX riding and dog training." Trade shows, antique fairs and various other events are also held there. It is also home to L.A. Promotions and its indoor play area, as well as the Fitness Connection fitness centre.
His story features numerous comments from concerned citizens worried about not being able to provide a community centre atmosphere for many local residents with diverse recreation interests. In other words, the building wouldn't be missed per se but the ability to bring residents together to have fun would be a tragic loss to the community.
So let's build a new Roll-A-Dome.
At a cost of $10-12 million, including the land, a modern multi-purpose community centre would be more energy-efficient and specifically designed to accommodate a broad variety of activities, unlike the Roll-A-Dome, which actually started life as a curling rink before becoming what it is today. That price is far more palatable than the $50 million needed to build a performing arts centre, a civic facility that would see much less use by far fewer people. The return on investment, from both dollars and sense standpoints, makes replacing the Roll-A-Dome an attractive prospect.
So attractive, in fact, that private investors could be enticed to collaborate with local government. For example, the city could provide the land and services to a private outfit to construct a building, manage the facility and make its money back for 25 years, after which ownership of the building would revert back to the city. Another option would see the city own both the building and the property but turn over daily operation to a charity organization like the YMCA of Northern B.C. Both of these community centre operations models are already in use elsewhere in Canada.
Municipal government and local taxpayers should be well aware that not only does the Roll-A-Dome need replacing but so do Four Seasons Pool, the Coliseum and Elksentre for the sports community, Studio 2880 for the arts community and Fire Hall #1 for everyone. The Prince George Public Library is already 35 years old and CN Centre, the Aquatic Centre and the Civic Centre are all already 20 years old or more. Operating, maintaining, renovating and eventually replacing these aging pieces of essential community infrastructure are of far greater priority at this time than a pricey performing arts centre.
As for the Roll-A-Dome, it has proven its worth and paid for itself many times over during its six-plus decades of service. Demolishing the current facility for the hotel would allow the city to enjoy much higher tax revenues from the property at that valuable intersection, similar to what they have enjoyed since they turned over the ball fields further along Highway 16 to retail and hotel development. A Roll-A-Dome replacement at a different location would provide long-term security to the current users while offering new opportunities for other community groups to share the facility.
Take away the sentimental feelings towards that tired old building and fire up the bulldozer. Everybody benefits.
-- Managing editor Neil Godbout
