Letter to the editor from Kathy Hickey: Time for action in pool dispute. *** Dear Editor, I have watched in disbelief the ongoing debate regarding the building of a new pool in Barrhead, including how much it should cost, where it should be located and how the costs of maintenance and staffing should be determined between Town and County. In my opinion there needs to be no further debate. It is time to take action. The arguments are spurious as quite frankly whether it costs five million or fifteen million, the cost of not having a pool outweighs the costs of delaying the first shovel to break ground. All of us benefit from the pool, all of us need to support it financially. Without a pool there will be and already are, very serious repercussions for both the Town and County. For those of you, like myself, who seldom if ever use the pool, here is why you want to have one now. Children need to learn to swim. That is not just one option for extracurricular activity but a life saving skill. I don’t know of any child who died because they couldn’t dance or play hockey. Swimming is one skill that can prevent tragedy at any time in one’s life. For those who argue that they live closer to Westlock so why should they pay for a pool in Barrhead, consider the following; as tax payers you will pay increased fees to transport school children out of Barrhead for swimming lessons. If you have no children or grandchildren and don’t use the pool, consider the fact that should you choose to sell your property any time in the future, whether in Town or in the County, without a pool you can knock off a big chunk of what you expect as a return on your investment. Without a community pool, why would anyone choose Barrhead or Barrhead County over any other small rural community if they were considering moving to a rural area? Every small rural community requires a pool as a hub for instruction, recreation and physical therapy. I know individuals that begin their day swimming laps to get energized for the work day, individuals that reply on the pool for physical therapy, individuals that rely on the pool for social activity and countless children that rely on the pool as their greatest outlet for physical activity, skill development and social relationships throughout the long cold winters of central Alberta. User fees need to reflect the value of the skilled and committed individuals we put our trust in to teach our children. I was embarrassed to pay such a low fee for group lessons for my grandson last fall. Private lessons cost $10 for a half hour. That is ridiculously unfair to staff. So choose for the individuals who rely on the pool, choose for your own personal financial gain or choose simply because there is no other choice to keep Barrhead a viable community in Alberta for both town and county residents. A little pain in additional taxes will reap benefits for years to come. To the Town and County elected officials, it’s time to sit down, play fair and come to consensus now to ensure that the first shovel of earth is turned when the first thaw arrives next spring. Kathy Hickey Lac La Nonne County taxpayer
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 15:00:00 +0000
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