Stephen Butz, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Vancouver, told Abbotsford Today that, the YMCA would consider coming to the city at a later date if the City of Abbotsford decides it cannot afford to participate in the project until it has put its financial house in order.
Butz made the statement during an full in-depth interview with Today about the YMCA proposal and an open and frank discussion of the political controversy surrounding his organization’s plan.
Currently, the YMCA is engaged with three other communities at various stages of the facility development process. We expect to build at least three new YMCA centers over the next decade, all in collaboration with local municipalities. As our work is most advanced in Abbotsford, we see one of three options:
- Say yes to the municipal funding share and we hit the ground running now.
- Say no to the municipal funding share, and we turn our attention and resources to other emerging opportunities.
- Say yes to the municipal funding share, but begin the project as a later date. This is a new option we are prepared to explore. Right now Abbotsford holds the priority one spot of the three projects we will develop. We would be prepared to consider advancing another project and delay Abbotsford potentially for 2-3 years. Perhaps this would benefit the City in consideration of their capacity to finance their share. Such an option would be subject to a firm confirmation of funding by the City in order to allow the YMCA to advance its other plans with some certainty.
For the full interview simple click here.
Say no, and say sorry, by the
way option 3 really isn’t very different from option 1.
Option 2: Say no to the municipal funding and turn your attention to opportunities in other emerging opportunities. The city of Abbotsford is not the bank that keeps on giving.
Why on earth do we need the YMCA when there are plenty of fitness facitilities in the city including two Matsqui and Abbotsford Rec!
It’s insane to even consider this.
Option 2 is the only choice. We do NOT have the $$$$
Such an option would be subject to a firm confirmation of funding by the City in order to allow the YMCA to advance its other plans with some certainty.
OOOOOHHHHHH ——- CREEPY!!
Steve Butz says, “Such an option would be subject to a firm confirmation of funding by the City in order to allow the YMCA to advance its other plans with some certainty.”
So when has City Hall provided a morsel of “certainty” to us, — US who will forfeit the $17.5 (or more) million in cold hard cash? US, the folk who would go on paying for this decision for decades, while the Y enjoys a tax-free ride, charging for its services while competing with private service providers?
When have our ‘leaders’ given us sound data? When has City Hall provided an honest information and interaction forum with US who must pay for everything Council decides, wise or unwise?
Council has sent the YMCA reps into our community to win us over – BEFORE GIVING US CLEAR, UNAMBIGUOUS INFORMATION FIRST. Cart before the horse has never worked.
What a shabby, flawed, and suspicious business this is!