Thunder Bay mayor's debate changes opinions on event centre

Some voters at Wednesday's debate among candidates for Thunder Bay mayor said the event centre isn't their top concern, but the focus on it didalter their views.

"It made me change my mind about the event centre," Patty Smith said. "Because we have this [the community auditorium] and people didn't want it, but thank goodness we have it."

The event centre "could bring a lot more stuff that I would see without having to travel," Smith added as more than 400 attendees filed out of the auditorium after the debate.

Megan Clark saidshe has "mixed feelings" about the potential for an event centre to keep youth in the city. She said it's difficult to envision "a humongous centre in a little city" like Thunder Bay.

'Not appropriate or accurate'

The 17-year-old is deciding where to go for university next year and said many of her friends are planning to move away. She's looking toward a career in health care and if she was old enough to vote she would support Ken Boshcoff because of his affiliation with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

"I don't think Hobbs has done much for the university or NOSM," she said.

Clark attended the debate with her mother Sheila, who said there are "more pressing issues than the event centre."

The avowed Boschoff supporter said "some of the candidates had views that were not appropriate or accurate."

In particular, Clark who isa health professional, said Shane Judge's plan to turn long-term care homes into social housing isn't plausible.

She said she knows the homes are "not a livable spot" for a variety of reasons, including asbestos.

Check out our interactive feature where you can mix and match your choice for mayor here.