Skip to content

Vote 'yes' for positive growth

Tomorrow is D-Day on the Coast - Decision Day to see if this community really wants new recreation facilities. The debate is over. Now it's time to get out and vote.

Tomorrow is D-Day on the Coast - Decision Day to see if this community really wants new recreation facilities.

The debate is over. Now it's time to get out and vote. This edition is loaded with advertisements from both the 'yes' and 'no' side, many letters to the editor on the subject and information stories to aid voters in their decision.

It's probably no secret how I feel on the subject. I'm fully in favour of a 'yes' vote. I hope the referendum gets passed on Saturday and we can start putting our energy into finally building two world-class facilities here on the Coast.

We've had chances before and missed out on the opportunity. But with a positive vote tomorrow, we can change what happened in the past.

The Sunshine Coast is a growing community. More and more people are moving here - many with young families. We need to offer facilities that provide people a wide variety of recreation and social options.

Some have suggested in our letters section over the past month that these facilities are just for the sports people. "I don't play hockey, so why should I spend my money on a new arena?"

"I swim in the ocean or the lake, so who cares about a new pool in Sechelt?"

Everyone is entitled to his or her opinions, but I have to say these facilities are much more than that.

Certainly, the sports community will benefit. It means a second ice surface for minor and adult hockey. It means better ice times, so teams won't be playing at 10:30 p.m. at night. It means growth for our figure skating and speed skating clubs and for our swim team. And it also means attracting more people, more tourism opportunities and more economic spin-offs for the Coast.

Cities like Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George have become sports and tourism meccas, thanks to great recreation facilities.

With the 2010 Olympics knocking on our door, enhanced facilities mean training opportunities for our athletes and for athletes from other countries coming here to train pre-Olympics.

I spend a lot of time on the sports fields, in the gyms and at the arena, watching and writing about our athletes young and old. We have some exceptionally talented people. Just think how much farther they could go if they had the facilities here at home. It means no longer having to commute to Vancouver to train.

But these facilities are not just about athletics.

A community centre and a pool are meeting places - places where we can join as neighbours for events, to socialize and share.

These facilities are going to be expensive. But with corporate donations already beginning to surface, the cost could be considerably less. To find that out, we need a 'yes' vote on Saturday.

The time is now for these facilities. The time is now to grow and become a better community. Get out and vote Saturday. Vote for a better today and an even better tomorrow.