I can’t believe the bike track proposal for John Phillips Memorial Park is actually back on council’s agenda. This time with a $300,000 price tag and construction of storage sheds and outdoor toilets, and in full view of quiet residential neighbourhoods. Also, I believe the understanding is that the Sooke Bike Club will maintain said 1.8 hectare park and their toilets with the help of all their volunteers/members/supporters. Right!
The Sooke Bike Club couldn’t even manage to come up with the $3.600 they need for planning costs. Sooke tax payers had to foot that bill. Oh, and don’t forget, this is a “five year project.”
Mr. Mayor and Sooke Council why not give some thought to the following more relevant issues that really mean something to Sooke residents:
1) The Sooke Food Bank is desperately in need of goods to help Sooke residents in need. Even Grades 1 and 2 students at John Muir School seem more eager to contribute to the food bank than you do.
2) The COmmunity Hall needs a new roof and the Association has to cover substantial monthly expenses.
3) The sewage treatment plant is severely underfunded. Does that mean our taxes are increasing?
And the list goes on!
Yet, for some reason, Sooke Council and certain staffers seem to be irrationally obsessed with investing time, effort and substantial amounts of taxpayer money on a bike race track. For you to take our public green space without public consultation and hand it over to a small, private, special interest group is absolutely outrageous.
Tell us what’s wrong with that picture? Why have the priorities of the mayor and council gone so terribly wrong? You need to give more consideration for the greater good of all Sooke residents and taxpayers.
Speak up Sooke taxpayers. This is our tax money they are wasting, and our public land they are giving away.
Stuart and Carolyn Katorsky,
Sooke
