Dear Editor,
Re: “Face-to-face helps seal the deal,” News, Feb. 10.
Once again, I have read in the Richmond News of another councillor, this time Bill McNulty, dipping into the taxpayers’ wallets for a trip to Japan, via business class, for four days in Tokyo — one of the world’s most expensive cities — as well as a journey to Wakayama to apparently be given yet another statue for Steveston.
All of this is in aid of securing a three-day visit by a Japanese tall ship.
And to manage a vessel of this size, McNulty’s request is for the city to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to build another dock at Garry Point.
We had some docks built a few years back at great expense that were supposed to be moveable and returned to this site as required.
They were movable alright. They were moved a few years back after a tall ship festival and never seen again.
Here’s an idea, council members, how about we take all of those hundreds of thousands of dollars you want to spend on this three-day visit, and its accommodation, and put it into the infrastructure of Steveston?
How about doing something about the aged and undersized community centre and library — they should both be considered an embarrassment to city hall.
In recent months, yet another community centre opened in City Centre.
So let’s see, now we have the jewel in the parks and recreation crown, the new Minoru civic precinct being built, the Oval, a brand new “City Centre,”all of which annually receives thousands upon thousands of taxpayer dollars and all within a mile of each other and city hall.
Then there is South Arm, West Richmond, Thompson and Watermania; all beautiful complexes and all very well funded, oh and the new park at Terra Nova, that is a beauty.
Then over in the west corner of Richmond, the oldest community within Richmond, is the Steveston Community Centre, and it has become the shame of parks and rec.
Nothing has been done to the building in decades, despite the community having grown tremendously.
Even the kids’ water park was funded by donation. Where else has that happened in Richmond?
Every now and again council mumbles about doing something with the Steveston Community Centre, but it just all fades away.
It’s similar to the now, three-year, vacant Onni project. If that array of vacant properties was in the heart of Richmond, this civic mess would have been sorted out years ago, but like most things in Steveston, city hall seems to want to forget we are here.
Stay home Bill (McNulty) and friends and forget spending endless amounts of tax dollars on a tall ship party in the community of Steveston.
Do something FOR the community with all that money and get going on building a proper community centre and library, which would not only enhance the quality of life in Steveston, but provide a lasting legacy, instead of a three-day spending party to accommodate a few tall ships that will sail away leaving nothing but a huge bill.
Less parties, city hall, start doing something significant, and long past due to enhance quality of life and wellness for the people of the Steveston community.
R. Lamb
Steveston
