Question: Building of a Recreation Centre including a Indoor Swimming Pool.
I have addressed this issue previously here but I will reinforce my position again.
This is something this community needs in the worse way, the issue of course which we all recognize is how do we pay for it and would the taxpayers be prepared to make a twenty five year commitment.
My position would be that council would direct administration to come up with a business plan, design, costs etc, and sources of revenue, ie. Federal/Provincial grants, Corporate opportunities, and fundraising. Then determine what it would cost the Municipality for the capital costs (that's why I use the 25 year number) and ongoing operations. Calculate exactly what its going to cost the individual tax payer in additional taxation.
Provide all this information to the taxpayer and let them decide if they wish to proceed in a plebiscite.
Question: Should we do more to enforce the Bear Smart Bylaw.
Of course we live in an area where this issue can not be ignored, we also have to find ways especially in the country residential areas to encourage people to work with this. Lots of them already do but for the ones that don't we have to find ways to help. Enforcement yes but education first.
Question: Road Conditions, Pot holes etc
Over the last few years we have spent $20 million on infrastructure under the ground, we are now reaching the point where the major jobs have been done, we need to focus now on the roads themselves, I recognize that we have a problem I drive these streets every day of the week.
But we also need to take a look at the way we do our road maintenance program, right now we basically take the dollars that we allow for repairing roads and chase the areas that have the worse problems or where the people scream the loudest. That only works short term we need to come up with a long term plan that is maintained year after year.
For example the District of Sparwood does 10% of its roads every year.
Please keep in mind I was sitting at the far end of the forum so if I do not have your question exactly right, please let me know.
7 comments:
Dean
I agree 100% with the indoor swimming pool so why wouldn't council just go ahead and do it.
Why would you go back to the public for a vote?
Red
Apparently way back when the Coleman arena was built, it was in the plans that an indoor pool would be added at a later date. The land behind the arena was to be cleared for the addition. My question is why was it not done between then and now, and if it was in the plans what happened??
Red
This is what I believe, the cost of a rec facility/indoor pool will be massive.
There will be grants available, but the municipality will have to finance its portion over a 20-25 year period.
By my estimates looking at what other communities are doing it will probably add 20-25% to our tax bill. Buts that all theory at this point the next council needs to determine those numbers.
If they prove to be that high then I feel no council as the right to committ the public to that kind of committment for the next 25 years without going back to them.
Thanks Dean
Sasha
This is news to me, I will check with our culture and rec people to see if there was any such plan.
This my be the case of stories getting mixed up over time, when the trailer park was purchased by the municipality back in 2000/2001one of the arguements for that was that it would allow additional land for the growth of the facility in the future.
The question of why its wasn't done now or then.
An indoor swimming pool is going to be a multi million dollar project, I don't think any municipality would just clear a large piece of land, hoping a facilty will come. They would have to have a business plan in place, grants lined up, engineering done etc etc.
Thanks Dean
Sasha of this subject the issue of curfew, you should give the RCMP a call and ask them how many kids have been charged since it was implemented, its was supported by the local RCMP to be used as a tool to deal with vandalism issues, not to nail every kid thats out at 11:03pm, anyway you will be surprised at the numbers of kids that have been charged.
Dean
I must apoligise my error on the Kananaskis Trailer Court. I was alerted by one of my readers that the purchase date I stated was wrong.
Councillor J Rejman made the motion to purchase the Kananaskis trailer court on Mar 4/2003 for $259,000
Thanks
The curfew is good. Vandalism was not as bad as before the curfew.
Mr. Ward
It seems as if you believe in closing everything down as a means to save money or lower taxes. Well the CN Cetner is now closed. When will i see a tax reduction?
This community is made up of alot of seniors and they love hearing the words "lower taxes" or "close it down" You sure like to tell them what they wanna hear.
Although closing everything down might save money but it will not reduce taxes or generate money. A monkey could tell you that.
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