Collingwood’s judicial inquiry resumes today at 10 a.m. with public hearings focused on the second part of the inquiry mandate.
The inquiry was called to investigate two things: the 2012 sale of 50 per cent of Collus shares to PowerStream, and the subsequent spending of those proceeds.
This second phase of the inquiry will look into the allocation of the share sale proceeds for an arena at Central Park and Centennial Aquatic Centre at Heritage Park.
According to the foundation document, the second phase will also explore “any fees or benefits paid to any person or entity involved in the creation of these facilities.”
The second foundation document was released yesterday (Sept. 10). This 350-page document gives an overview of the events surrounding the allocation of the share sale proceeds. The document has not been tested for the truth of its contents, and could be challenged over the course of the inquiry.
“The transactions involved thousands of pages of communications, contracts, transcripts, photographs, notes, drawings, and financial records,” states the foundation document, posted here.
Hearings begin again today at 10 a.m. at the town hall council chambers and will continue through Friday this week. Next week there will be no hearings, and they will resume again Sept. 23, 25, 26 and 30.
Further hearing dates are booked through the end of October. A schedule is posted here.
The inquiry website includes a list of 14 witnesses for this phase of hearings, but the list can change throughout the inquiry.
“Inquiry counsel currently intends to call Abby Stec, Sara Almas, Ron Martin, Marta Proctor, and Tom Lloyd as the first five witnesses,” states the inquiry website.
Abby Stec was an employee at Compenso Communications, a company owned by Paul Bonwick.
Sara Almas was and remains the town clerk.
Ron Martin was the deputy chief building official at the time the recreational facilities were being contemplated and built.
Marta Proctor was the director of parks and recreation for the town at the time.
Tom Lloyd was a regional director for Sprung, the company that supplied the fabric membrane structures for the Central Park Arena and Centennial Aquatic Centre.
You can watch the inquiry hearings live in person at the town hall council chambers, live on Rogers TV, or online via the Rogers live stream here.
