Referring to the proposed two-day July waterslide on Vancouver Hill. I question the mad rush by council and the Downtown Penticton Association to implement this ephemeral program without further analysis.
1. Who is going to pay the unknown additional costs of police, firemen, medical staff, ambulance and hospital personnel in case of accidents. (Joe taxpayer of course).
2. Who is going to compensate the nearby businesses for their potential losses and the inconvenience to the nearby residents who will be disrupted despite the city’s good neighbour and noise bylaw? Lawsuits maybe!
3. Assuming a too young or senior population in Penticton at some 5,000-10,000; will they be allowed to make a mad rush from their cribs or retirement homes to go down that slide or face discrimination because of their age or because they are against slides in Skaha Park.
4. DPA event director Rachel Thomas mentions that plan B is already is in the works in case there is a drought. Make no illusion, this is purely and simply a waste of water and an oxymoron statement, especially when the taxpayers are asked to stop watering their yellow lawns and restrict their use of water. Assuming there is a fire at the same time, where is the nearest fire hydrant located to pump the 30,000 gallons of water down that slide? God help us all.
5. One can only assume that council is pushing this trial balloon for Skaha Park despite an ongoing lawsuit and a growing vocal opposition in that location.
I used the caption (Sl)Ides of March in all candor. It refers to Roman history when Julius Caesar was stabbed by Brutus. I could have used the analogy of Nero, the compulsive Roman emperor who set the great fire of Rome to clear land to build his new palace, singing and playing the lyre (and drinking a glass of wine to relax and enjoy himself); blaming and persecuting and killing his opponents.
Claude Filiatrault
Penticton
