Friday, February 19, 2010

The end of times, Crowsnest Pass style

I almost hate to draw attention to the silliness that has broken out in the Crowsnest Pass. All of the community knows about the Crowsnest Centre, and yes its an issue that as spilt the community some what. Personally I do not have a problem with anybody having a different opinion than me on this issue. (Its called democracy)
Yes we have attempted to have a debate based on silly things like facts, figures, and that kind of nonsense.
Then we have had other people who have the golden opportunity to debate this issue (by use of the local media) based on non factual arguments, fear, stupidity and ????? (I am stuck for the right word use your imagination).
In the last five years I have heard arguments such as the place will make money, its a sound business. Look at our business plan its make sense (the moment you point out errors, "its only a draft"), we don't compete with the local hospitality business, yet under that same business plan its states competition then lists local hospitality businesses. We heard Dec 16, 2008 we don't need municipal dollars the place will pay for itself. By June of 2009 we are debating paying the Nexen bill because our Mayor states that it was sent to the wrong address for months ???.
Then comes the fear approach:
The cadets will be thrown out on the street, the food bank will be thrown out on the street, its the death of education in the Crowsnest Pass. Where will people stay during an emergency?
The cadets are in the Elks Hall, the food bank is now down town Blairmore, and we are in discussions with the education consortium regarding relocation. Where do people stay in other communities during an emergency? Inconvenice yes, but problems that had solutions.
Then comes the stupidity, it was only three weeks ago the local paper had an update on politics in the Crowsnest Pass, followed by "my mother always said if you have nothing good to say about somebody don't" and then the rest of the editorial was blank.
Last week we get an attempt to compare the closing of the centre to Great Britain's darkest hours during WW II, and they went as far as quoting Winston Churchill.
Then this week we get the icing on the cake an obituary for the centre, maybe I'm wrong maybe this really does make sense and I'm the crazy one.

Anyway we are now only months away from the election, and I'm sure somewhere out there in the back rooms of our local businesses, over coffee at the Tim Hortons. The ultimate dream team of seven is being built for the coming election, they will come forth and correct all the mistakes of by gone years.
The centre will be refurbished and reopened and become truly our "Banff Centre"
The old Bellevue arena will be rebuilt and re opened and prime time hours at our arenas will become from 6pm to 6:45pm so that five years from now we can claim that our arenas are being used 97% of the time. (prime time hours of course)
Then the $300,000 to upgrade the Maple View hall will be found, and the old Hillcrest hall will be rebuilt and reopened. Everybody will live happily ever after, and George Cuffs statement about the municipality having too much duplication of services and facilities will be exposed for the huge lie it is.
Maybe this dream team can campaign under the slogan, of lower taxes, no reduction of services, and money in reserves every year.
Some pessimists say it can not be done, but two thousand years ago they said the same thing about parting the Red Sea.

Any way thanks for taking a moment to read my comments and please if you can spare a few more seconds vote on the poll on the left hand side.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dean, The community knows that the paper you are talking about has a one sided view.We will not be so easily swayed. The question is, come election time do all 4 members of the "fab 4" run again.If they do they will be reelected.I am quite confident of this.But what happens if one does not run for reelction.The swing vote could be crucial.I am hoping that we could have 5 or 6 or even 7 like minded people on council, that do what the majority of the people want.By the way, the no meetings behind closed doors is the biggest joke of all time.This has always happened and always will.

Anonymous said...

Dean, Is there anywhere we can send donations in lieu of flowers.

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Anonymous said...

Before Crowsnest Pass can ever become a “Garden of Eden,” there has to be a major shake-up, and it needs to start at the top. As long as our current “leader” remains in "Power," nothing is going to change to make this happen. And until there’s a change in leadership, and a council in place whose members are like-minded, we’ll continue to be the laughing stock that we’ve become. Yes, we have become a joke (“farce” is probably a better word), outside our so-called Garden of Eden community, and even amongst ourselves.

Changes are also long overdue within our municipal administration – again, by starting at the top. It’s time for the “good old boys” to get the boot, or at least find a different club to join. I’m looking forward to the pre-election candidate’s forum, that is, unless someone decides we can’t have one now, because there’s no place to hold it. Who do we call to remind them there’s a facility in Bellevue that would work? Depending on who runs for re-election, I’m guessing there will be some interesting questions raised from the floor. On second thought, there will likely be some interesting questions regardless of who runs. Can’t wait to hear some of the “carefully orchestrated” replies!

For all the incumbents that plan on attending, here’s some advice. If you tell the truth, you only have to remember one thing. See you there!

P.S. I’m getting a bit tired of reading all the negative, one-sided, biased opinions that seem to be appearing almost weekly in a certain local rag. The obituary was over the top. Come on ... get real! Maybe sometime in the near future (less than nine months from now) we’ll see a birth announcement, or headline, appear in one of our local papers, letting the world know that our community has been reborn. You’ll likely have to pick up a different paper to read this announcement, though. At least, that’s the way I see it!

Anonymous said...

I have often wondered why the volunteers operating the Crowsnest Center became a "Society". As a Society they could have applied for a number of grants to better the Center. Had they done this I could respect there group and applaud their efforts. Instead they chose to run up debts and let the taxpayers pick up the tab.

Anonymous said...

I'm tired of the bullshit, not only from Gail and the Herald but everybody.

It's poisoned the community and made the Pass a very grim place to live.