Port Alberni's industrial heritage is the latest target of the city's discussion on failing infrastructure.
The City of Port Alberni announced it is looking at options for the old arena that houses the Industrial Heritage Centre and Sunshine Club woodworking centre, as well as the adjacent curling club, after an assessment showed the building needs $2 million in upgrades.
After a meeting with the Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society in December, council made public its options for the building: among them demolition or finding another location.
The method of consultation—or lack of it—has riled user groups and their supporters.
By not having meaningful first conversations with their tenants or giving them time to absorb and disseminate the information, the city has thrown the Industrial Heritage Society, Sunshine Club and curling club on the defensive. This is neither productive nor cooperative.
Much was said at the Jan. 14 committee of the whole meeting that this is the beginning of the process, and there are options to be considered. It doesn't sound like the stakeholders had much say in the options.
The easiest way for a council to alienate the electorate is to ignore it. The city's idea of public consultation as it relates to the old arena is one glaring example, however it's not the first: user groups were up in arms mere months ago when the topic of recreation user fees came up, and again with business licences regarding event vendors.
The city has had 21 years to come up with a plan—in cooperation with its tenants—to keep the building maintained or seek alternatives. User groups have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in trying to keep up their end of the deal.
The Industrial Heritage Centre also houses city-owned heritage equipment which IHS volunteers help maintain.
The city must take some responsibility for the position it finds itself in, rather than throwing the question back to the user groups, threatening them with demolition and giving them a four-year timeline from suggestion to solution.
The city should know that four years is not enough time to do much: otherwise we would already have a new pool.
— Alberni Valley News
