✅ Jon Hillis, candidate for Mayor of Collingwood | Listen. Build. Deliver.
A vision is only useful if we can actually afford to build it, operate it, and show that it creates long-term value for Collingwood.
I support moving the MURF and an Arts and Culture Centre forward. But that doesn’t mean signing a blank cheque or trying to build everything at once.
One of the first things I would want done in the first 90 days is a full review of the provincial and federal funding available for both projects, followed by getting those applications submitted.
I also think we should reopen the conversation with the Town of The Blue Mountains about partnering on the MURF. The proposed site is close to the municipal boundary, and a partnership could open the door to more funding while also spreading some of the capital cost across a larger regional population.
At the same time, we need to make sure the infrastructure is there to support what we build.
And we need to ask some basic questions before committing major public dollars.
Will these projects create jobs? Will they help our local businesses? Can they bring events and visitors into Collingwood? Will they attract investment and keep more money circulating in our community? What will they cost to operate 10, 20 or 30 years from now?
Not every community facility has to make a profit. But we should know what the community is getting back for the investment we are making.
A lot of work has already been done on both of these projects. I don’t think we need to start over. We need to take that work, find the funding, build the partnerships and start moving toward execution.
And if the numbers don’t work, we adjust the scope, phase the project differently or rethink parts of it.
That is the approach behind my vision for Collingwood. Invest in things that improve the community, strengthen our local economy and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on property taxpayers.
I’ve also included concept renderings for both the MURF and Arts and Culture Centre in the vision. Take a look and let me know what you think.
View the full vision and renderings:
https://hilliscwoodmayor.com/
❤️ Thanks, Jon, for your donation to Hope Chapel Church.
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