We’re not sure which part of ‘No’ Mayor Banman didn’t get from the community about the YMCA giveaway but the email he sent after the April 22nd meeting at which it was decided to kill the project seems to indicate he intends to bring it back.
What Do You Think?
There are three phrases he uses which are odd in the context of conducting business and also in terms of ending a proposal. He seems overly enamoured of a big organization that operates fitness centres all over the world and will probably get over not getting the $17.5 million from Abbotsford.
And, phrases like “at this time” and “timing will be right” leave the distinct impression this project is anything but dead.
Worrisome Phrases:
- ” … has been abandoned at this time.”
- ” … their professionalism, their dedication and their empathy towards our community …”
- “The City has some work to do before the timing will be right …”
Dear xxxxxxx
I apologize for the delay in responding to you, but I wanted to wait to provide you with a final update after our April 22ndCouncil meeting.
On Monday April 22, 2013, City Manager George Murray presented a report to Council that stated the MOU signed with the YMCA is non-binding and has been rescinded. Council accepted this report and accordingly the proposal to have a YMCA developed in Abbotsford has been abandoned at this time.
I, along with Council, have appreciated the YMCA for their professionalism, their dedication and their empathy towards our community throughout this process.
The City has some work to do before the timing will be right for a project like this one, but our experience with the YMCA has been very positive and Abbotsford would be privileged to work with such a considerate partner in the future.
Thank you for voicing your opinion about the YMCA proposal. It is important for Council to hear from residents, and we appreciate your interest and involvement.
Regards,
Bruce
For more ‘What Do You Think’ check in the Pop Voice under Opinion or simply click here.
To paraphrase:
I would have replied sooner, but we all had to get our stories straight. Because everyone freaked out, we’re not going through with this terribly bad idea – at the moment.
We’re still pretty much buddies with their head honcho on this proposal.
Too many people were paying attention for us to pass it at this time, but we’ll probably bring it up again later when something more distracting is happening. Or we’ll add it to the agenda at the last minute so no one will be prepared.
I’m going to blow some smoke up your ass about us valuing your opinion because, well, politics and all that jazz.
I still like singing as often as I can in public,
Bruce.
Banman says, “it is important for Council to hear from residents.”
Then, who does he think the people are, who are helping to pay the
taxes and have voiced their opposition to the project??
They are “residents” Mayor Banman!
Oh, “the residents,’ who supportthe YMCA for development reasons,
well they are residents, but, also, have development interests along
McCallum Rd., like Developer, Karen matty, who recently was appointed
to the FHA, timely, considering FHA is in process of developing the
old MSA site and will now have a clearer picture of the direction of
development for the city.
Oh yes and I forgot the Chamber Executive, who brought this
project forward, in the interest of select members, part of their
so-called priority projects list brought forward to council and through their representatives on the Economic Development Commision, named as Chmber repres. and of course, under the name :community stakeholder,’ but have actually served on the Chamber Exec. previously.
One could say almost “stacking the deck.”
Oh yes, now, I remeber, the people opposed to the YMCA project are
the maysayers, the complainers, the people without the facts.
Without the facts? How could that happen when Mayor and Council
are always transparent and acountable to all the taxpayers in this city, not only the people, who monopolize developmwent in this city.
Mayor Banman says, the city has work to do, before
the timing will be right…
Mayor Banman, you mean the city has postponed the project, because
the city has no money in it’s reserves and it just rec’d an
unexpected $8.3 million dollar bill for the new Vye Rd./Nexus project,
plus the 2012 arena subsidy, money borrowed for the McCallum/Clearbrook
Rd. Interchange project…to name just a few city expenses.