Lets get a few things straight people, Duane Thomson stated in his letter to the editor, “perhaps conditions will change for freight traffic or for rapid transit at some point in the future.” Wake up and smell the roses. They are completely taking all of that out. Then try and get environment approval in the future, good luck.
How many teachers, students and general public are going to cycle daily from Vernon to Kelowna? The time not spent with family or friends are great.
He also talked about the newly retired folks with large discretionary incomes travelling to places like this.
Take a look at the economy at present and see how many are travelling from the U.S. or Europe.
He also stated that the trail initiative recently commissioned an economic benefit analysis. Well to date, I have not seen one on their website or published. The only one is from January 2007 and that is an old European one. This is just regarding cycling in Europe, which is so far ahead of North America that it will take 100 years to catch up.
This is not the time to spend money during an economic downturn.
What I want the Okanagan Rail Trail Society to state is, if they raise $7 million for the purchase, do they expect to be the operators and reap the benefits and cash? Are they going to be responsible for the yearly operating of the trail?
Why should taxpayers have to pick up the tab to make you happy?
Will they supply proper documents and reports regarding the number of visitors, income and the number of full-time jobs created to be published in the public paper? If not then they should be shown the door.
I would also like the committee to show us reports and financial statements from the Kettle Valley area as to how many tourists, jobs created, financial statements and who is paying all of the yearly bills as we paid to build most of the route.
I am getting tired of all of these groups coming with their hands out always asking for money that we as taxpayers work hard for.
Lower my taxes and stop donating to all of these groups. Let them ask for their own money.
Garry Haa
Vernon
