"Hi Gyula:
Thanks for taking the trouble to inform our community about the upcoming rate payers meeting. I have made a note of your website and I will be attending the meeting. May I offer your blog a letter I recently sent the Morning Star concerning the proposed Sports Complex. I don't know if they will publish it before the 11 Sept public meeting, in any case I will be reading it aloud at the meeting to those assembled.
I can’t help noticing that the Morning star has taken a bias in favour of the development of a Sports Complex on the Coldstream ranch between Highway 6 and Aberdeen road.
One would have hoped for a less partial and more balanced treatment when attempting to inform local readers and constituents about this contentious issue. The idea that Greater Vernon needs a Sports Complex and that it’s only suitable location is in Coldstream is simply taken for granted and the decision of GVRD/GVSC is not even questioned.
In my view, the whole idea is just another pro-development, pro-business initiative based on the notion of "If it is good for business; it’s good for greater Vernon".
Increased urbanization comes with environmental and social costs that must be borne by everybody regardless of selective economic benefits. As a retiree, living in Coldstream, I oppose yet another mega project constructed in the centre of our rural/bedroom community which will roll up and pave over yet more agricultural land. I have heard some proponent’s claim that we owe it to our children to go ahead with the project yet our existing playgrounds are underutilized. Others claim that project opponents are just plain selfish by hindering the interests of those who would come from out of town to use these facilities, as in the case of “Funtastic.” These are phony, self-serving accusations, which claim residents of Coldstream, have a moral obligation to support the proposed site.
Finally, I am upset that his Worship, Mayor Corner, with his pro-development mandate of just 8 votes over his mayoral opponent Mr. Danyliu in the last election, has the nerve to table this motion. Coldstream Council is well aware that in a recent community survey 80 percent of the respondents was against development of agricultural land, yet as Chairmen of GVSC it was put on Coldstream’s agenda.
If as a Coldstream resident you are opposed to the location of the proposed Sports Complex, come to the Special meeting at Coldstream Elementary School, 7 pm Tuesday, 11 September 2007. If, as I expect, Mayor Corner and his Council cronies rubber stamp this proposal, it will be a fair warning to local voters that some care is required to scrutinize your elected representatives. A careless vote may come back to bite or kick you in the behind!
Peter Peto
492 Terrace Drive
Coldstream
205 503 2203
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