Petition calls on federal government to support new arena in Red Lake

Red Lake is hoping a petition will help it land federal funding for a new arena.

The town's current arena, in Cochenour — one of the communities that make up the Municipality of Red Lake — is more than six decades old, said Red Lake Mayor Fred Mota.

"We're very, very thankful for that time, and the 64 years that the Cochenour Arena has taken us through," he said. "But ... it's outlived its its useful purpose. We continue to get funding and use municipal dollars to keep the doors open."

"It's an old, old facility and we need an updated facility."

Mota said it would cost the municipality about $24 million to bring the arena up to current standards.

However, he said, "We can build a brand new arena for approximately $21 (million) to $22 million."

But the municipality would need support from the provincial and federal governments to build a new facility, he said. And Red Lake has already had four federal funding applications rejected.

So they're trying a new approach: a petition.

"We need the federal government's attention," Mota said. "Once we hit a minimum of 500 (signatures), they have to respond to the petition within 45 days."

"Our community felt we continue to get denied for funding, let's get their attention another way through this petition."

The petition was actually launched by the REACH (regional events, arts and cultural hub) committee, and had 507 signatures as of Thursday morning.

"We want to have a forceful voice, and so we have 60 days window of opportunity until it closes," said REACH committee member Kevin Harland. "We'll try and get as many as we can above 500 ... so that (Kenora-Kiiwetinoong MP) Eric Melillo can present it in the House of Commons and we can show the federal government that we're in need of funding."

The survey is open until May 11.

Mota said the population of Red Lake is expected to grow by 1,800 to 2,000 people over the next eight to 10 years.