Coun. Dave Stockdale says he will not bring back the zoning bylaw council defeated Monday which would have enabled a proposed outdoor sports complex in Whistle Bend to proceed.

Stockdale had planned to bring back the bylaw for reconsideration, but after speaking with Mayor Dan Curtis this morning, says he will not do so after all.

At the same time, supporters of the facility are preparing to gather outside city hall late Thursday afternoon to a protest the defeat.

Council was tied 3-3 on the vote that would have zoned a 4.2-hectare section of land near Casca Boulevard and Whistle Bend Way for the first phase of the sports complex being proposed by the Yukon government. A tie vote by council is automatically defeated.

The first phase would have included two soccer fields and a track facility built to international competition standards.

Council had initially passed an amendment, with a 4-2 vote, to the zoning bylaw changing the boundaries so that only the site for the first phase had the rezoning for the sports centre with another piece to be set aside as Future Planning, which could be rezoned down the road as further pieces of the facility are developed.

Curtis, who attended Monday’s meeting by conference call, had voted for the initial amendment when it came time for the main motion on second reading of the rezoning.

However, he voted against it, along with deputy mayor Mike Gladish and Coun. Betty Irwin.

Stockdale took issue with the result in an emotional outburst. He then stormed out of the meeting as Gladish, the chair, asked for his removal from council chambers.

On Tuesday afternoon, Stockdale stated his belief that Curtis, who called from home because he was ill – may not have voted the way he had intended.

“I just think it was a mistake,” Stockdale said then.

In the past, he noted, tie votes that have seen matters defeated – in one case, the city budget – have been successfully brought back to council chambers and the decision changed.

After speaking with the mayor this morning though, Stockdale said shortly before noon he doesn’t believe the vote would change any if he brought it back.

He commented, though, he does believe the facility will become part of the recreational options in the city in the future.

“I think it will come to pass,” he said.

In an interview this morning, Curtis stood by his vote though he too contemplated the possibility of the facility down the road.

“I was saying, ‘not right now,’” he explained of his vote.

Though he favoured the new boundaries and therefore voted in favour of the amendment, he said he doesn’t think that now is the time to actually move ahead with a major sporting facility.

Rather, he said if the proposal comes back in a year or even later, when there is greater support from the overall community or a school has been built next to it as identified in the zoning, he would like to see the zoning come forward as it was amended Monday night.

Curtis acknowledged the facility has the support of a very passionate group, but it’s his job on council to represent the wider interests of the overall community.

“We’ve got to take care of the taxpayers and the taxpayer-base,” Curtis said.

The Yukon government is planning to build the estimated $8-million facility. It is being led and proposed to be run by the Yukon Outdoor Sports Complex Association, a group made up of a representatives from a number of sporting organizations.

Following Monday’s vote, Community Services Minister Currie Dixon expressed his disappointment, noting that he and Curtis had worked together to come up with the compromise on the boundaries.

Today, Curtis took issue with Dixon stating they had “negotiated” the compromise, arguing as mayor, he is only one vote on council and doesn’t negotiate anything on his own.

Rather, Curtis again emphasized, the compromise on the zoning boundary is something he would rather see come forward when there is greater demand for the facility.

The mayor also commented that the territory has addressed a number of concerns expressed by council, but he continues to worry about the potential that the city could eventually be asked to operate the facility.

As the land owner, the territory indicated it would be responsible for any shortfalls should the operational model not work.

Pointing to past situations with other recreational facilities around the city, Curtis argued one line in a letter from the territory is not enough to provide the assurance he needs on it.

Informed of the protest planned for 4 p.m. Thursday outside city hall, Curtis said everyone has a right to gather and have their voices heard.

The event details and discussion are available on Facebook under the event called Sports Complex Protest.

As of late this morning, 27 people had indicated they plan to attend, with another 13 listing themselves as a “maybe” attending.

See related story, councillor’s commentary.