The Editor,
Re: "McNulty: Museum cost justified," News, Jan. 25.
I note Coun. McNulty deems further expenditure on the oval for an Olympic museum to be a worthy cause and will increase revenue.
Yes, it will necessitate the transfer of more tax revenue from the city to cover the losses at the oval. How novel - the city taxpayer will pay the cost and the oval will get the revenue!
The BC Sports Hall of Fame has been operating at a loss. Why? Why will the oval be any different?
If this is a worthy cause, why not fund it entirely from the Games Operating Trust?
Please ensure the museum includes prominent historical displays of displaced persons to make way for Olympic event venues around the world, Olympic project cost overruns, the Greek 2004 Olympic project financial debacle, the Montreal Olympic stadium financial debacle, the negative impact on civil liberties, the supremacy of the IOC over sovereign government authority, costs to taxpayers and a history of the degree and extent of performance enhancing drugs by Olympic athletes. This museum content could be an attractive and necessary reference point for any nation considering hosting a future Olympic event.
Before Richmond elected officials require any more funding from the public taxpayer, a complete disclosure of all - repeat, all - annual total oval costs to Richmond taxpayers since the inception of the project should be provided by the city administration to the public.
These annual totals must include all oval project associated costs, without exception.
The numbers are not readily apparent when reviewing the city annual reports or the oval annual reports.
Without these details, our city management is no better than the recently exposed at Attawapiskat.
Every councillor should know the numbers, including the annual capital cost obligation - a mere $5 million.
Please show us the numbers!
Ken McLennan Richmond
