Editor:
The ice-skating fraternity is continuing their 10-year campaign to convince the SCRD to extend summer ice in the arenas. They are a very strong, aggressive lobby group, who are unrelenting in advancing their agenda with complete disregard for the needs of the dry-floor user groups. Previous SCRD financial information indicates that a cost versus benefit analysis shows a large disparity between the revenue achieved and the cost of ice management at the arenas. Summer ice would only contribute to this growing deficit, whereas dry-floor users place the least financial burden on SCRD resources.
The group usage of the arenas is determined by the SCRD, not by the ice skaters or the dry-floor users. The current SCRD allocation of its program times at the arenas strikes a very workable balance between the needs of all of the stakeholders, without favouring any one group.
The SC Pickleball Association is very grateful for the SCRD-sponsored summer programs at the arenas. They have given us the ability to grow our sport, attract new members, facilitate development programs, clinics and competitions, and above all carry out our mandate in the community, which is: “to foster and promote goodwill, fellowship, fitness and healthy competition among its members.”
This raises public awareness of our club and the growing sport of pickleball on the Sunshine Coast. Any reduction in our dry-floor allocation would put many of our programs in jeopardy and leave us with few if any suitable playable venues.
In keeping with the SCRD values of collaboration, equity, transparency, respect and equality, the need is greater than ever for the SCRD to continue to develop programs and services that are designed to meet the needs of all of the community.
Terry Karleen, Halfmoon Bay
