Happy belated father’s day everyone!
So, as I was lucky enough to be getting spoiled by my wife and playing a round at Glen Eagles I looked over and saw our Aqua centre being built. My mind then recalled the reports that the construction has hit an unexpected $ 1 million hiccup.
My first thought was, ‘well I guess it is reasonable to expect some problems’ but then all I seemed to hear were watered down semi apologies. I started recalling the other $475,000 in cost over runs for an outdoor rink and high lift pump announced in May 2016 (and the granite counter tops a couple years before this).
The outrage and disappointment reported by some council members for these additional costs in May 2016 suddenly seemed more like self-serving hypocrisy than genuine concern.
Where was your outrage over this far more expensive cost overrun for this recreation center? Where was the outrage over having to spend the majority of our town capital reserves last year?
Where is the outrage over falling short on the fund raising efforts thus far?! Where is the outrage over having to service even more debt for this center? Where is the outrage over delayed road infrastructure because of this undertaking?
Then there are basic questions such as, where are the numbers to prove the cost neutral goal Mr. Brooker and Mr. Toews initially insisted were possible during the 2013 election? Where is the list of businesses that will utilize the retail space that added additional costs to this center? Where is the detailed guaranteeing that all Cochranites will be able to afford the programs at the center when they are available? Etc.
Sorry for failing to be ‘star struck’ by this center because all I’m seeing so far are the early signs of a storm cloud of debt, already realized cost over runs with more likely to occur, decreased financial stability for our town, an almost assured increase in property taxes when the center is complete and a politically motivated agenda that has so far over ruled a common sense/phased in/money in the bank approach to this development.
Dan Cunin
