Re: Metchosin demands a revised budget from West Shore rec, News, Feb. 3 2012.
We are long-time residents of Langford and taxpayers and are very concerned about West Shore Parks and Recreation’s huge financial losses last year.
We thank Metchosin Mayor John Ranns for asking the tough questions when faced with the large budget increase requested by the centre’s management and wonder why our other local politicians have not been doing that too.
We agree that recreation is important to the community, but why does recreation here on the West Shore have to be all about high-maintenance facilities like arenas, golf courses and swimming complexes.
Nowadays, even simple things such as playing fields seem to require huge amounts of money to build and maintain with their artificial surfaces and enormous lights for night time use.
We have never attended the violent and bloody sporting events held at the Bear Mountain Arena, which in our opinion includes pro hockey and lacrosse.
Our suggestion for the arena, lose the name and lose the bad karma. We don’t want to see our local rec centre bankrupted like its namesake.
Ron Rayner and Eleanor McKinnon
Langford