If you or your group are perhaps planning a late fall barbecue or picnic in Fort George Park and using the roofed shelter which stood there for at least 30 years, well forget that.
It seems someone in their "wisdom" came up with a plan and the City has acted upon it!
Instead of simply replacing rotting timbers of the old structure, or even rebuilding it, the whole thing has been torn down and replaced with a large raised concrete slab.
Now doesn't THAT sound warm and family-friendly!
Are there plans for a roof? Not likely, but I understand there will be electrical outlets available as well as concrete picnic tables. Was there any discussion about this at a City Council meeting? Any objections? Whose idea was it anyway?
Certainly if the structure had lost its integrity and piece-meal construction was not an option, surely the cost would not be too prohibitive to rebuild a sheltered area as it had been.
What might we be looking at; one less trip to China, one less feasibility study (such as seeking the opinion of some company in the U.S. on how best to manage our roads in winter), large payouts to folks "in high places" who leave the job early and seem entitled to "early retirement" and shortened contract fees, and maybe even holiday and relocation money.
This shelter was used by many, many individuals and groups who could plan for a large picnic in the park with no worries about what the weather might bring - sun, rain or even snow!
But then perhaps a roof is already in the plans: if not, then get the engineers together and figure out how to incorporate supports for a roof! It's not going to be a whole lot of use otherwise and I believe there'll be a lot of disgruntled tax-payers.
Joan McKay
Prince George
