A day after announcing his intention to run for mayor, Fougere said he plans to keep the vision for revitalizing downtown Regina moving forward.

This vision includes building a new multipurpose recreation facility which most people call a new stadium. The 15-year veteran of city council has had a front seat on the action for this project so far.

“I just can’t imagine us not going forward with the revitalization of downtown,” Fougere said.

As for the debate over whether or not the stadium will have a roof, Fougere said it’s too early to tell. Before making this decision city council will comb through stacks of reports from administrators and consultants.

“The city is not in the business of building facilities like this, we do it once every 50 years so we’re looking for some experts, some consultants to give us advice on what we should do,” Fougere explained.

He maintained that this doesn’t mean consultants will make the final decision.  He expects the report to come to council later this year and then the issue will be up for debate.

Echoing Mayor Pat Fiacco’s past comments, Fougere maintained the point that this project isn't just about a stadium. He pointed to housing and commercial development as critical factors that will revitalize the entire downtown.

Whether Fougere could be the one cutting the ribbon on any new development in downtown Regina has yet to be decided.

Voters can make their choice for mayor in October and he is up against three others so far including accountant Chad Novak, environmentalist Jim Elliot and businessman Robert Loblaw.

Edited by News Talk Radio’s Adriana Christianson