There were two good letters in today's Citizen (Saturday March 3, 2018).
The letter by Svend Serup "Referendum was no mandate for pool," refers to another good letter written earlier by Miles C. Thomas "How about public input." Both have good points that can't be ignored by the current mayor and council and will no doubt be an issue this fall during the civic elections.
Out of 7,875 votes cast, 6,520 said yes to a new fire hall and out of 7,879 votes cast, 4,923 said yes to a new pool.
While the support to replace the facilities - 82.79 per cent and 62.48 per cent respectively - was high, it was only so based on who voted. When you consider those eligible to vote in Prince George then the numbers are very dismal and goes to show that the city governance failed to engage the voting public.
In 2014 there were 57,363 estimated eligible voters in Prince George. Less then 14 per cent of eligible voters voted. That translates to about nine per cent saying yes to the new pool and 11 per cent saying yes to a new fire hall.
After the referendum was completed and the yes to replacing these facilities was victorious, then the game changed, which the electorate were not privy to on referendum day.
Suddenly it wasn't just $35 million for the pool, but now the purchase of the Day's Inn at a tune of $4.5 million, plus the extra millions for tear-down and other associated costs for both the pool and Day's Inn. Also the taxpayer was not informed as to the estimated interest charges to borrow the $35 million for the pool, which could reach $21 million. So the real cost of replacing the pool is about $61 million over 20 years, after which, based on current city thinking, is almost 50 per cent worn out.
Millions of dollars can be saved by renovating Fire Hall No. 1 to accommodate the bigger trucks, move the administrative department, emergency dispatchers and training facility to the abandoned old police station. Many residents find it very hard to understand why the old police station, made from solid concrete and steel, has to be torn down - why can't it be renovated and recommissioned? That building is good for another 100 years. So Fire Hall No. 1 is 60 years old. Station 312 located at 34 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto was built in 1878 and responds to more than 5,000 calls each year. So Fire Hall No. 1 is only middle-aged, by the City of Toronto standards.
The Four Seasons Pool can be renovated into something we all as tax payers would be proud to have, for a fraction of replacement. The City of Terrace is nearing completion of their $8.8 million renovation of their 45-year-old pool, with wonderful results.
With all this money saved we could build a much needed professional theater downtown, which would help answer the question from the other letter written by WDM Barteluk, "City needs more performance space," ending with this line: "What can be done to push this forward?"
Thank you.
Edward J. Denicola
