ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Snowmageddon cost St. John’s a fortune last year, about $7 million to clear a couple tons of snow. Now the city is trying to recoup some of that money, starting with an application to the federal government’s Emergency Disaster Assistance fund. That could recover $6 million towards the bill.
I can’t imagine the books will show a flush bank account this fiscal year, either.
But there is an option, one the city isn’t keen on exploring, for whatever reason.
Mile One Centre hasn’t been busy the best of times. Less so now, in a pandemic. Yet the lights need to be kept on, the ice plant plugged in.
The underutilized building is getting older, and it’s showing its age.
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So why, then, does businessman Dean MacDonald feel he’s striking out when talking to St. John’s Sports and Entertainment, the board which runs Mile One, about buying the building, sinking millions into it, and/or entering into a partnership with SJSE?
The building would still be used as a sports and entertainment facility. It would not be uprooted and relocated, or converted into condos. Downtown would still derive benefits from event nights. The city would be off the hook paying a yearly subsidy, freeing up that cash for other bills, along with the money that would come from the sale.
Makes sense from this corner.
Ah, but there is a catch. There quite likely would be no more St. John’s Sports and Entertainment. And that’s perhaps a big stumbling block from getting this done.
Which brings us back to our earlier conclusion: The will to offload Mile One is absent. This is about SJSE’s fear of losing control of its little kingdom.
Nobody asked me, but …
So, it turns out we’re not the only ones fooled by Tyler Toffoli! Earlier this month, in a story on hockey players who are the all-time leaders in NHL games played and points registered by Newfoundlanders, The Telegram mistakenly ran a photo of current Montreal Canadien Tyler Toffoli, identifying him as retired Hab Michael Ryder from Bonavista. That came less than a month after Canadiens writer Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette Tweeted, “it really is freaky the resemblance between Tyler Toffoli and Michael Ryder. And it’s not just the No. 73.” Toffoli is listed at 6-0 and 198 pounds. During his playing days, Ryder came in at 6-0 and 201. Both are right shots and both wear/wore 73
Garry Galley has called #Habs Tyler Toffoli Michael Ryder twice tonight on Hockey Night in Canada. The resemblance between the two really is remarkable and it's not just the No. 73. Here's column I wrote last week about it: https://t.co/X74XN0eyzD
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) January 31, 2021
. ... Claude Julien paid for the Canadiens’ nine wins in 19 games with his job this week. But Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin skates free again. Bergevin made some nice moves last summer, landing Toffoli and Josh Anderson. But since getting hired as Montreal’s general manager in 2012, Bergevin’s done little to make Montreal even a reasonable contender despite more than enough time and several assets at his disposal. If the Canadiens continue to flounder this year and next, Montreal’s next move will be obvious. But it seems evident Bergevin is untouchable …
Robin Short is The Telegram’s Sports Editor. [email protected] | Twitter: @TelyRobinShort
