Wanna walk here? That'll be $162,500, oil giant demands

No way!

That's our land and you can't walk on it, you Sault Ste. Marie Hub Trail people!

Not unless you give us $162,500!

That, in essence, is the position of Suncor Energy Inc., the Calgary-based integrated energy giant that made a billion dollars in profits last year extracting, refining and selling us fuel under the Sunoco and Petro-Canada brands. The City of Sault Ste. Marie needs access to part of Suncor's vacant lot to link the central downtown section to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre.

Without that access, approved funding for the latest boardwalk extension is in jeopardy.

Last night, City Council reluctantly agreed to lease a 10-metre-wide strip of Suncor land along the south side of Bay Street.

The 20-year lease will end up costing the City no less than $162,500 in rent, fees and taxes.

That works out to an average of $8,125 a year that will come directly out of the City's $100,000-a-year maintenance budget for the Hub Trail.

At the end of the 20 years, Suncor could still take back the land, raise the price, sell it to the City or do anything else it wants with the property.

At any time during the 20-year lease, Suncor could also opt out of the agreement if it decides to develop that piece of waterfront property.

But the way City Council sees it, there's really no other choice.

That section of the more than 22-kilometre trail is very important because it links the downtown section and the bushplane museum, both critically important attractions, says Jerry Dolcetti, the City's commissioner of engineering and planning.

"Either we do this or we risk losing our one-third, one-third, one-third [federal/ provincial/ municipal] funding," said Ward 3 Councillor Bryan Hayes.

Ward 4 Councillor Lorena Tridico said she couldn't support the idea under any circumstances.

To spend that much taxpayers' money and not even own the land at the end of it is irresponsible, Tridico charged.

Ward 1 Councillor James Caicco asked what would happen to the trail if Suncor decided not to continue the lease at the end of the 20 years.

Dolcetti responded that City staff are looking at possibly reducing Bay Street from four to three lanes along that stretch sometime in the future and one lane could be used for the Hub Trail if Suncor wouldn't offer the city an option to buy or continue to lease its property.

That solution, however, would take more time than the City has.

A condition attached to federal and provincial funding for the two sections of trail approved this year is that they be essentially complete by March 2011.

That means the project must move forward quickly to be completed in time, Dolcetti said.

Councillor Hayes asked about the possibility of expropriating the land.

He wanted to know whether that would be possible and if so, what would be involved.

City Solicitor Lorie Bottos told him that, while the process was possible, it would take too long.

Councillor Tridico along with Pat Mick, Mayor John Rowswell and Frank Fata voted against the lease.

Voting for the lease were Caicco and Hayes as well as Terry Sheehan, Lou Turco, Ozzie Grandinetti, Susan Myers and David Celetti.

Councillor Manzo was absent.

************************* Tell 'em what you think

To e-mail your feelings on this issue to Suncor President and Chief Executive Officer Rick George, Mayor Rowswell and every member of City Council except Ward 6 Councillor Frank Manzo, please click here.

Councillor Manzo cannot be reached by e-mail, but you can phone or fax him at 945-9971.