THUNDER BAY — The City of Thunder Bay is conducting a review of its relationship with the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium.
The city built the 1,500-seat performing arts centre in 1985.
It's operated by an 11-member community board that includes two members of city council.
The city owns the building and provides the auditorium with operating funds of about $741,000 annually.
It's not clear whether the city has established any specific objectives for the study.
The city manager's office only provided Dougall Media with a brief statement confirming that a review is underway "to explore possible options regarding the formal relationships" between the city and the auditorium, but that "no decisions have been made at this time."
Councillor Cody Fraser, who sits on the auditorium board, offered only slightly more clarity.
In an interview, he noted that after the 2018 election, city council instructed administration to "look for efficiencies, and to shore up any liability, any expenses, anything like that."
Fraser said that was done through a program services review.
"This isn't necessarily an extension of the program services review," he explained, "but this is a review of all the outside boards, all the comings and goings of basically everything in the city. So this is part and parcel basically of the direction we gave to administration back in 2018."
Asked if the study could result in the auditorium operating more independently, Fraser described the current relationship as already being "quite hands-off."
"I don't exactly know what the desired outcome is [or] where the review will head. That's being completely frank...There might not ever be a decision made. It might just be status quo."
Another source familiar with the discussions but not authorized to speak publicly about them, told TBNewswatch periodic reviews such as this are normal, and that both parties are seeking changes to firm up a relationship that is perceived as having become "too loose" over the years.
The source said there's no scenario presently being contemplated that would result in the city ending its funding support for the auditorium, thereby essentially leaving it to fend for itself.
A document prepared for the review provides a point-by-point comparison of three options — operating the auditorium at arms-length from the city, operating it under a local board and operating it as a section within a city department.
The document notes that the arms-length option is "recommended."
According to the city manager's office, a report is expected to be presented to city council in the near future.
