BRIDGEWATER - Taxpayers will dig deeper in another year when this town joins its municipal neighbours and start a new, temporary tax rate to pay for the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre.

 How much the rate will be and how long it will be in place has yet to be determined. Mayor Carroll Publicover could only confirm that a tax rate is how the town will pay for its share.

 "I can't give you any specifics other than that we know that that's the vehicle we're going to use," he said after town council's regular meeting March 22.

 The rate will, however, last more than one year in duration.

 Council determined the move by consensus and is reviewing scenarios put to them by the finance department.

 "We feel that it's really important for people to know how much of their tax bill is going for that project so that they can benefit from it and understand better how its affected their pocketbook," the mayor told the council meeting.

 The Municipality of Lunenburg informed its ratepayers in January of the upcoming new tax.

 Civic politicians in Bridgewater also dropped hints about the possibility of a new rate coming on the horizon while they talked about the 2008-09 budget.

 The Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre will be built off York Street in the Bridgewater Business Park.

 The pool, library and two-pad ice-rink complex will cost $42 million to build. Ottawa, the province, Bridgewater and the Municipality of Lunenburg are chipping in a combined total of just over $30 million.

 It means lifestyle centre proponents have to decide whether to boost fundraising efforts or postpone some things until later when more money is available.

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 Civic politicians will make the final decision about what they will proceed with when lifestyle centre officials submit a recommendation to them within the next few weeks.

posted on 03/30/10