To the editor:
Yes, perhaps this town does need a new Rec Center, but should we be in the dark about how many years our kids will be without an outdoor swimming pool until that facility becomes a reality? Let me explain.
The new facility is planned to cost between seven and nine million bucks. I understand that half of that bundle of money must come from contributions (that’s us) and the other half arrives from a matching-fund scheme. Well, that sounds clean and neat until it’s discovered that it’ll likely take years to collect the $3-$4 million from private contributors.
Life has become more difficult in this country since the advent of big Washington spenders (huge debt … more taxes) and the debacle of a new medical insurance scheme (Obamacare). As a result, fewer jobs will be available and paychecks will dwindle in the next many years, therefore, more families will struggle with fewer dollars in their pockets. It’s because of this that I believe it’ll take more years (if ever) than planned to collect the $3-$4 million in order to get the Community Center Project off the ground. Then it’ll likely be a 2-year building time to complete the project.
Say it takes three to four years to collect the dollars and add to that the two years of construction. Add ‘em up and that’s at least five to six years before the kids can swim. It’s already been a whole year with another year coming up. Not fair.
There is no question that, overwhelmingly, the vast majority of the 9,500 citizens of this nice little city of Presque Isle want their outdoor pool back exactly where it is (was) today. Let the plans for the new Community Center go forth, but since it’ll be years before a new (and much smaller) outdoor pool will be available to the kids, the city council should feel it its duty to spend a little time rounding up $500,000 or less to fix our pool we’ve loved through the last 70-plus years. Likely it’ll be lots easier and quicker to get contributors for that fix-up including local contractors to lend a hand with equipment and supplies. That’s the way it was when life was easier way back when I was a kid and that’s the way life should be — could be — today.
Another thing: I’ve talked to several in-the-know people who categorically stated that it’s entirely possible to get the swimming pool back into swimming condition including cleaning up the water to satisfy the EPA. For about $400,000 to $500,000 we can have our pool back. That’s less than half the cost of a new, smaller pool.
So I say, City Council … smarten up and do what’s right and sensible. Do what we want, not what you want. Keep in mind that your Council jobs depend on the voters. If they perceive you’re doing a lousy job, they’ll replace you with someone they believe will perform better according to their wishes. Remember, the City Council should and must represent the people, not themselves.
Dr. Richard “Dick” Graves
Presque Isle
