The municipal election is over and congratulations to all the winners and my deepest thanks to all the candidates who put their lives out there for all to share, thank you.

There were many interesting tidbits of information that flowed through debate like the ‘discouragement of single passenger vehicles downtown’ and those we have a pool for every 29,000 residents while other cities only have a pool for as high as 90,000 residents.

It has been brought forward that Red Deer wants a 50m pool at a cost of $90 million. Estimated cost overrun of $36 million for a total of $126 million financed at 3% for 30 years.

Pools run on a deficit so our capital costs and operating costs could see the City paying $500,000 a month for 30 years not including refurbishing every decade or so.

I talked to family and friends, acquaintances and journalists and I could not find anyone who initiated the idea that we wanted a ‘Taj Mahal Aquatics Centre’ until we realized this was another idea that came from the top. It was brought forward by a politician during the forum and it took on the guise of a citizen-led project when it actually appears to be a legacy project from City Hall.

It is not part of the winter games bid, and the public is not clamoring for it, so what is the rush? We should determine the fate of the Michener pool, and find out from the public what facilities they actually want and where they want it. If this is planned for the Riverlands and that is the reason for the $17 million upgrade to the Taylor Dr. and Ross St. intersection, it would be another slap to the residents in the north.

One man suggested they should slow down spending on tomorrow and concentrate a bit more on today.

I tend to agree.

Garfield Marks

Red Deer