To the Editor,
To the best of my knowledge, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs hockey team has lost money for five of the last six seasons. Therefore there’s a strong possibility that the present owners will want to move the team. Surprising?
The solution apparently is for citizens to donate either $200 or $5,000 each to keep the team in the Valley to be run by a non-profit society with the taxpayers of the City of Port Alberni getting stuck with any losses.
Certainly we know that the city and parks and recreation are involved up to their eyeballs in this speculative venture, and that makes me very nervous.
The last thing we taxpayers need is to pay for yet more losses to be added to the millions of dollars we’ve forked out over the last decade or two to keep the money-losing, unpopular McLean Mill National Historic Site going.
The timing of the proposed purchase must be questioned in light of today’s economic and social realities, in particular the situation surrounding Catalyst Paper.
I do realize, however, that Sproat Lake residents seldom walk the South Port streets, so would be unaware of the moves/closures there since March 31.
The Water’s Edge and Timber restaurants have closed, the old federal building across from city hall is now vacant, Love Rush is closing out, and the crisis-line has moved to North Port.
Economic vitality we don’t have. But we have city hall remaining in isolated splendor, completely out of touch with reality.
Go Bulldogs go!
Richard Berg,
Port Alberni