PART 1 – 20 Questions with Rick Chrest Mayor of Brandon
BDNMB.CA – Will a casino ever be considered by the City of Province?
MAYOR – Not totally our choice or call the casino’s are licensed by the Province of Manitoba. A while ago they did a market study of Western Manitoba and they said it only could support one casino and that is the current facts.
BDNMB.CA – Is making the Sportsplex and or Rec Centre a private venture?
MAYOR – Those types of places need public participation in terms of funding…. It is very difficult to make those private facilities. The golf course is a different situation …. Council wants to keep the green space and protecting of it. We hope the Rec. Centre can sustain itself as a public recreation facility. We are trying to find the best fit for it.
BDNMB.CA – Long term viability of the Keystone Centre?
MAYOR – Due to the size of thefacility it will require assistance from all three levels of gov’t. It will need assistance on the capital side things wear out and get old. Operations it can almost cover the costs.
BDNMB.CA – Neil Thomson has released the Keystone Centre is showing a positive cash flow.
MAYOR – Even if the building made $200,000 dollars it would be a drop in the bucket for a facility of that size.
BDNMB.CA – Can you speak about South end development?
MAYOR – Their is an application for urban expansion this is known to the public and it is a co operative effort between Cornwallis and ourselves and their will be costs such as roads and sewer etc.
BDNMB.CA – Are you originally from Brandon?
MAYOR – Born in 1959 and lived here my life and my father lived here… it has been an interesting career.
BDNMB.CA – Role models?
MAYOR – Growing up The Fonz – Sam Malone – Hawkeye (Mash)and of course my parents. Rick Borotsik of course had some input to running for this job.
BDNMB.CA – Can you name a Brandon celebrity?
MAYOR – Yes of course plus people like Doug Murray – Bob Mazer – Gord Peters and Kelly McCrimmon is well known throughout the world. If people have heard of Brandon they will have heard the name the Brandon Wheat Kings with our NHL stars etc.
BDNMB.CA – What is your guilty pleasure?
MAYOR – That is easy for sure wings or pizza I am not really a guy that likes chocolate
BDNMB.CA – Favorite restaurant?
MAYOR – I think Brandon is known for Pizza … we must be world famous.
BDNMB.CA – Cruz or Trump?
MAYOR – You know out of the 5 candidates left I really couldn’t be too interested in any of them.
