Pemberton and Mount Currie have not given up the fight for an equal shot at hosting the Paralympic sledge hockey facility, if the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) decides not to build it.
"We want to make sure that we are given an equal opportunity to make a business case in order to host the arena," Warner said. "I think a lot of people in this area would support this and get behind us to make this happen. If you don't have the opportunity to apply, you just don't know."
The sledge hockey facility would be a 2,500- to 5,000-seat arena complete with all the bells and whistles of an Olympic venue. VANOC has offered money to go toward the construction of the facility but Pemberton and Mount Currie need to prove it is a sustainable option.
The RMOW has until Sept. 6 to make a declaration of intent.
"The capital costs of building are estimated to be $18 million with VANOC providing $9 million. It's probably too early to come up with figures but there are other players at the table like Mount Currie and we have a population base of 10,000 to work with," Warner said.
The Village of Pemberton recently received a letter from John Furlong, the chief executive officer for VANOC. He stated that he has been working with Whistler and 樱桃视频to examine potential options for the facility. He also said the discussions with 樱桃视频were initiated based on the District of Squamish's ability to provide significant financial contributions to the cost of the building.
After reading the letter, Warner met with VANOC officials to get a better understanding of the situation. She said it begs the question of how deliberations with 樱桃视频got so far if the bid process was meant to be fair.
"According to the bid book, if Whistler refuses the facility, the decision is supposed to go back to VANOC. All we are asking is for an equal opportunity to apply," Warner said.
The facility is expected to cost $500,000 per year to operate but Warner is confident the Pemberton Valley can handle it. She said the facility could be built with plans to take seats out, leaving room for a community centre space. Heating in Pemberton is cheaper and Warner said the snow loads in the valley are not as large as Whistler.
The RMOW is planning a public meeting on Aug. 16 to get an idea of whether the sledge hockey facility should be built in Whistler. In the meantime, Pemberton and Mount Currie are also preparing to consult their voters, Warner said.
