As an eager arts enthusiast and supporter of the proposed Performing Arts Centre, I would like to thank the city councillors who stood up for fairness at Monday's council meeting. Especially councillor Basserman who did his best to remind the minor hockey community that there are many other special interest groups standing at the public trough too. Some that have been waiting a very long time to have their funding needs met.
The sports and recreation community, which is many of we "snootflutes" too, has already won the lottery with the award of the 2015 Winter games.
Now minor hockey supporters want to be given an additional gift. Apparently a multi million upgrade to an already spectacular facility, relatively speaking, isn't enough.
When you consider that the city's arena operations already receive colossal subsidies to the tune of nearly fifty per cent it's hard to swallow a request for lopsided capital dollars. I
I'm all in favour of developing infrastructure, but we also have to have some balance in the process.
Nearly 20 years ago the city polled residents about their wish list for desired infrastructure. A Performing Arts Centre ranked high within the top five.
Here we are in 2011 still waiting for that facility to be developed, while everything else on the list was built within a few years of the poll results. A new multiplex, a new swimming pool, a new civic centre and art gallery etc. etc.
I have lived in this community for 34 years. My family has paid and paid residential and business property taxes that would make some people blush (it does us).
Fairness, a balanced and fair allocation of infrastructure dollars is what we're expecting of city council.
Thank you Mr. Basserman for a wise and timely reminder.
Bill Russell
Prince George
