To The Editor:
On Nov. 3, the Regional District of Central Kootenay directors had a meeting and approved the borrowing of an additional $2.1 million to complete the arena project. At this point, I wish to state that I am in complete disagreement to this process of handling public funds. Perhaps what I am about to suggest should have been done before the “borrow” part. But that’s spilled milk now, so here goes.
In order to combat this huge debt imposed upon the taxpayers of Creston and its districts, I would suggest a committee be formed to organize the following fundraising events and entertainment to alleviate the debt and burden of annual maintenance costs of the new pool facilities for years to come:
Under the roof of the rec centre:
•Once a month gourmet dinner and dance with a live band, door prizes combined with ticket draw events to follow.
•Alternate dinners with a one-hour live theatre show.
•Once a month have a western dance night or a traditional ballroom dance.
•Once a month have a “dry” teens dance.
•A Saturday or Sunday afternoon for teenage talent to play their instruments and sing.
•Every other month have a Casino night with crown and anchor wheels, blackjack tables, etc., followed with a couple of draws on a flatscreen TV and a stainless steel fridge and stove.
•Have an early spring annual archery competition with moving targets. These events would bring competitors in from Castlegar to Cranbrook.
•Have a pig and whistle pub night with karaoke with pizza for dinner.
All the money collected from competitors registering, gate fees and draw prizes will go toward the involved costs of tickets printed, the live bands, the food, the chef and assistants, then lastly the majority of it to the cause.
Out in the rec centre parking lot:
•Start off the Saturday or Sunday morning at 9 a.m. with a pancake and ham breakfast hosted by our fire department followed by a spinning reel and fly casting competition. This again will bring competitors from other neighboring towns and from Idaho.
•Next to follow could be a character “outhouse” race mechanized with souped up lawnmower motors.
•Following that, an annual tug of war event between the fire department and the RCMP. Challengers from other fire halls and RCMP detachments may get in on this.
•The morning events could be finished off at noon or 12:30 p.m. with a chicken and cob barbecue and a beer garden.
•The regional district could erect a large $ thermometer to show the diminishing debt in months to come.
•CBC could be called in for some coverage to help put Creston on the map.
In the rural areas:
•The Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club could have an annual Christmas turkey shoot. It could also have an annual spring large bore competition shoot that would draw competitors from neighboring towns.
•An annual autumn sponsored five-mile footrace could be held.
•And annual late-spring “duck race” on Goat River, starting from the Canyon-Lister Bridge down to Highway 21.
Let’s get this done now! Volunteers can register with their regional directors. Think of all the fun to be had by all. If we vegetate on this, the pool complex is going to break the town and all of us when each tax time rolls around again — and again.
In a closing note, I hope we all learned a lesson from the swimming pool referendum in that democracy only works when everyone votes.
Michael Bunn
Creston