The Owen Sound Coliseum will be torn down.
City Council on Tuesday officially turned down a proposal by the Satellites Gymnastics Club to take over the facility and operate it.
Council and city staff felt the proposal was simply not viable over a long term.
Because the Satellites proposal was the only one received by the city, it means all efforts to save the building have been exhausted and council feels justified in ordering its demolition once the ice pads at the new Regional Recreation Centre are opened to the public.
That could happen as early as the end of this calendar year, depending on when the ice pads are actually available for public use.
Although the arena portion of the Rec Centre is expected to be completed this fall, the rest of the facility will not be finished until next spring.
Council stressed the rejection of the gymnastic club’s proposal is not a reflection at all on the club itself — just its business plan regarding the Coliseum.
Although the 52-year-old building is still in adequate shape as far as its current use is concerned, work would have to be done in order to maintain it over the next few years.
Councillor Bill Twaddle estimated the cost at one million dollars, at least.
But Councillor Jim McManaman says the figure really depends on the plans for the building going forward.
McManaman, the chair of the regional recreation centre steering committee as well as of the recreation and parks advisory committee, says the future use of the Coliseum site will be determined by a Victoria Park master plan process.