After all of the bleating from Cote, Harper, Williams and the group pushing for the pool plans that will be built in
A friend of mine, who is in the pool business with a major player in the Lower Mainland, sent me the reports of a process engaged in by the
The process was engaged in at the same time the
The consultation process engaged in for the Aldergrove facilities was transparent, respectful and empowering to those who participated.
Compare that to the shabby, often secret and mickey mouse process undertaken in
We make the
Read the report, draw your own conclusions.
In the Township report, look at the clarity in defining the discussion, and the options available to help the decision making.
Now review the whole process in New Westminster, from the discussion of spending money to extend the life of the old poll, the decision to deconstruct the old pool, the lack of process and lack of any meaningful attempt to build concensus on how to move forward, to the decision to hire a management company which had never built an outdoor pool.
It is clear to me, that once again, the squandering of scarce public money in
In the decision making process for the Moody Park Pool , Voice New Westminster tried to do the right thing, and asked the politicians to review their decision.
It made little difference. The politically motivated incompetents ruled the day.
Once again, lack of leadership, coupled with special interest politics has done serious harm to this city.
Read the reports, I think you'll agree.
C.C.
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11 comments:
When you say lack of leadership, you are right.Other than Osterman and on most occasions MacIntosh, this group is a sorry lot.
The Mayor never seems to have an opinion on anything, other than some stock sayings that a three year old can come out with.
The waste of money blown on this two month operation is incredible.
The Mayor pushes and pushes for the pool, then when he sees there are enough votes, for poltical reasons, he and his poltical suck-boy, Karaoke Kal, vote against it.
The Aldergrove plans are, if you live in New West., enough to make you sick.
What's even more sickening is the way the Kiwanis pool was left to deteriorate rather than being properly maintained so it could continue serving the community. This appears to have been intentional on the part of someone or a cluster of someones. Too bad for the cluster, they didn't get away with it. The community stared them down and a new pool will be built.
Speaking of pools... Several times over the past few months I've gone to the Canada Games Pool and the tot pool has been "temporarily" out of commission. The staff keep saying it's going to be fixed, but it seems like every time I go the tot pool is still broken. Is it just my bad luck or is the Canada Games Pool falling apart before my eyes?
Dear Anonymous
You have just touched the surface (pun intended). Talk to people in the pool industry and they will tell you that the Canada Games Pool is kept operating with spare parts bought on the cheap, that it needs major major work, but most important of all, the word in the industry is that the pool leaks very significant quantities of water. This is very expensive, and has been going on for a considerable time.
This is not the fault of the staff doing the work. They probably deserve a medal. This is simply bordering on negligent management practices brought on by the fact that the city is in a horrendous financial position. The same thing for Moody Park Rink. The floor needs to be completely redone - an expensive proposition. It is however, being given a skim coat by Gastaldo to get them past the next election.
You can't fix the things that need fixing if you are busy doing election projects. It is all surface, cosmetic stuff being done.
I think Highrise got his strategy from Phyllis Diller's face, and her book, THE JOYS OF AGING AND HOW TO AVOID THEM - Diller takes aim at the technology of youthfulness--face-lifts, peeling, waxing, coloring, slimming, firming, plumping, relocating, and eradicating--in a book crammed with zany anecdotes.
Anonymous asks whether the Canada Games pool is falling apart... AND THE SURVEY SAYS... YES!...
It's fairly obvious to anyone who goes to the pool on a regular basis that the Canada Games facility is falling apart, and global warming isn't to blame.
If you want to know where the money's being spent instead, and who's really to blame for the state of the pool, just take a look around the city at all the "feel good" concrete and asphalt being poured to spruce things up fast before the November election arrives. I haven't seen so much concrete being poured since Jimmy Hoffa's funeral!
But seriously folks, it's going to take more than a thin coat of fresh paint to fool the people of New Westminster into believing things are groovy when they're not.
Amen – I don’t know what the Mayor and Council think they are achieving by the way they conduct themselves and cast their votes, but they are not acting in the best interests of New Westminster.
I honestly have come to believe that if an idea or position comes from anywhere other than the fudgemaster (Wayne Wright) or his core four (Harper, Williams, Cote, Donnelly), their policy is to do the opposite. Of course, this is doubly true if an idea/position comes from Voice New Westminster – at least that is how it seems.
It’s like a never-ending game of chutes and ladders where sometimes you think you are making headway but then another council meeting happens and you end up sliding back downwards on a very long ladder. The problem is, it’s not even a question of no one winning, more, because of the game-playing that goes on, it’s a question of everybody losing, especially our children.
I appreciate the advocacy efforts of Voice New Westminster but I think it will take an election before we see any positive change in the Council chambers.
I have never been able to understand why such a high cost slide was approved for the Canada Games Pool when they have known for a long time that the pool's infrastructure is not in good shape and wonder where to get the money to replace it. It is unlikely that the slide will be reusable in a new facility.
After reading the Aldergrove Report, it is clear that the Kiwanis Pool is overpriced for what we have been told we are getting.
I'm really glad that they don't do the shopping in my household.
I think one must realize that the Canada Games Pool is now 36 years old and has issues. First off I believe that front line staff do a remarkable job with the resources they are given however is it enough? They cannot perform miracles forever!
I believe that a comprehensive "INDEPEDENT" engineering report should be done on all of New Westminster recreation facilities. Lets find out exactly where we stand and what the future holds for the taxpayer.
There was a recent article in the Province newspaper hilighting the Langley Willoughby complex including a 5000 seat ice rink with
luxury boxes, a 2000 seat 3 basketball court gymnasium which Trinity Western university will use, 500 seat banquet facility, recreation centre and physiotherapy and other professional services. A massive addition to the citizens of Langley 54 million in cost although funded by Langley for 16 Million, the Province 16 Million, Private consortium 16 million and additional contributors.
New West 6 Million for an outdoor pool used 2 months of the year. Provincial funding 0 (reason PUCHMYR) Why can't we think out of the box and be creative like other municipalities? I can't see why we have aging junk on its last leg and have no idea how we can pay for all the replacements! HELP!
AS was stated previously, Langley has received funding for its recreation facilities from the Provincial Government. I do realize that Langley is represented by Rich Coleman a Liberal however is New West not able to apply seeing as we pay and vote provincially?
That being said, seeing as New West is represented by the NDP when the NDP was in power did they fund New West projects?
Exactly how much has New West receveived from the Feds or the Province?
Is it just me or is this lack of summer an example of why New West should not be building an outdoor pool?
I just drove by the Central Park outdoor pool in Burnaby and it is empty! Not of water but people!
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