Total Hockey or White Elephant?

A 2 million dollar hockey museum, to be named "Total Hockey" is currently being built at the Garnet Rickard Recreational Centre which will feature the 1300 piece Brian McFarlane hockey memorabilia collection. Brian McFarlane is the creator of Peter Puck and son of Leslie McFarlane, also known as Franklin W. Dixon of Hardy Boys fame. Many citizens see the museum as a white elephant for the current mayor and council.

The "Total Hockey" facility is scheduled to open right around the same time as our municipal elections this fall. What a coincidence. And for the $2 million pricetag, Total Hockey needs to score. But who will end up paying the bill in the end? Why, the taxpayers, of course. And some valid questions have been asked with no answers so far... The Brian McFarlane 1,300-piece collection was purchased from the Big Apple restaurant at Colborne on Hwy. 401. Why would they sell it if it was such a money-maker? Were there not enough visitors? What was the revenue? Once people have seen the 1300 piece (undocumented) collection, will they keep coming back over and over again? And why not just go a little bit west to Toronto to the Hockey Hall of Fame for the real Total Hockey Experience?

What is the ongoing overhead going to cost us? And could that money have been put toward something more practical, like keeping our property tax rate a bit more reasonable? We're sure there will be plenty of nifty photo-ops for the Mayor and incumbent councillors especially when Total Hockey nears completion or has it's grand opening at election time.

"To me, this is the ideal spot for Total Hockey, because of the enthusiasm generated by the mayor and council for the project, and because of the growth of the community and the need for tourism attractions," he said. "That's what really sold me on coming here."

Mr. McFarlane said he had been approached by other places, interested in his collection, "but an hour spent in the mayor's office sold me on coming here."

Once here, the collection may even grow in value, suggested Mr. McFarlane, who said in his experience, people who have visited the collection have come back to donate pieces.

"There are people out there who will be very willing to contribute," he said, telling of one man, who visited the collection, returning a few weeks later with a stick used by Red Wings goalie Terry Sawchuk.

Total Hockey will be a "tourism anchor" for Clarington, said Mayor John Mutton.

A tourism anchor? Gosh, I have an old Sher-Wood goalie stick that might have been used by Bernie Parent that I could donate. And a puck signed by Jean Beliveau. Of course I can't prove it but then again how many of the 1300 pieces are documented?

Well, I do hope Total Hockey scores big. I think it already has by being purchased by Clarington! Maybe I'm a pessimist and maybe this will be a huge tourism attraction. I have my doubts along with a lot of other people, including hockey fans.