The Centre sportif Soulanges could be closed for good as early as spring 2024 if an equitable distribution of the costs of operating and maintaining this regional infrastructure is not reached with the surrounding municipalities. 

Without an agreement before the end of the year, the Municipality of Saint-Polycarpe will have no choice but to initiate the process of closing the arena, according to information provided in a press release sent to the media. 

The arena opened its doors in 1981, and since then has welcomed thousands of young field hockey players and skaters a year from municipalities in the region, as well as from outside Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Yet, despite this fact, the Municipality of Saint-Polycarpe has never tried to make other localities pay for this infrastructure, which is used by all. 

A recent article in La Presse details the work required to upgrade the sports center: windows to be replaced, showers to be redone, concrete slab and heating system to be replaced. In short, these major projects will cost nearly $9.6 million. The Quebec and Canadian governments have already announced financial assistance of $5.6 million for the project. This leaves $4M to be found to avoid closing the arena. 

The municipal contribution would then exceed $500,000 annually. It is therefore unthinkable for Saint-Polycarpe to devote such a large portion of its annual operating budget, which totals $6 million, without which the municipality's taxpayers would face a tax bill increase of over 10%, just for the Sports Centre, while citizens of surrounding municipalities use it without contributing to its operation.

Talks launched last MayTalks to ensure a more equitable sharing of the operating and maintenance costs of this vital infrastructure for the region were launched by Saint-Polycarpe last May. At that time, the municipality's elected officials invited their Soulanges counterparts, whose citizens use the Centre Sportif facilities, to discuss sharing the costs of running the Centre and financing the work required to maintain it.

The municipalities approached by Saint-Polycarpe to contribute to arena expenses are: Saint-Zotique, Coteau-du-Lac, Les Coteaux, Rivière-Beaudette, Saint-Clet, Saint-Télesphore, Sainte-Marthe, Très-Saint-Rédempteur and Sainte-Justine-de-Newton. 

Saint-Polycarpe points out that it is currently the only municipality contributing to the Centre's operating costs, even though its population represents only around 10% of users. Since 2014, it has invested over $2 million in the Sports Centre. Despite repeated appeals to surrounding municipalities, no agreement has been reached in recent years to share this burden, which is becoming increasingly heavy on the municipality's finances.

For the mayor of Saint-Polycarpe, Jean-Yves Poirier, it is inconceivable that the citizens of his municipality should continue to bear these expenses alone: "Our citizens have done their share.Their financial resources are not infinite, and it is out of the question for us to increase property taxes excessively to serve, for the most part, citizens of other municipalities."

However, the Chief Magistrate points out that the Centre remains an essential asset for the regional population. For him, "Soulanges cannot afford to do without the Centre sportif, nor would it be appropriate to forgo the 5.6 million subsidy." That's why, he says, his municipal council "reached out to the region's elected officials."

Under Saint-Polycarpe's proposal, the total population of each municipality and its level of use of the Centre would be the variables used to determine each municipality's contribution, with Saint-Polycarpe agreeing to contribute more to compensate, among other things, for its increased use of the hall there.

"We're not asking the surrounding municipalities to invest in Saint-Polycarpe; we're simply asking them to assume part of the costs associated with their own use of this collective infrastructure." If a majority of municipalities were to agree and ensure the arena's survival, additional fees would apply for residents of non-signatory municipalities. These fees could reach $1,500 per year, per participant.

Negotiations are continuing in a positive climate, and it is hoped that an agreement will be reached in the coming weeks, when the municipal councils of each municipality will be asked to vote on the draft agreement at their December meetings at the latest.