Re: Multiplex will generate income, Letters, Feb. 14.
I am amazed at the lack of reasoning by the mayor and the rest of the group and the whole boondoggle of the event centre. I don’t see how they plan on filling the centre with all these events when Nanaimo can only attract a grand total of six cruise ships as opposed to 249 ships for Victoria. We already have a white elephant with the convention centre, the cruise ship dock and why not add an event centre to round it all out?
Give your heads a shake and work with what will truly help the city like encouraging more business in the downtown core and extending the waterfront walkway as a couple of examples that will improve the city and not cost $80 million.
D. WilkieNanaimo
Re: Province approves borrowing bylaw for Nanaimo events centre referendum, Feb. 9.
Nanaimo city council will be asking Nanaimo taxpayers to authorize the borrowing of $80 million to fund an events centre.
Studies presented by the city indicate this debt can be serviced and retired in 20 years for a cost of approximately $5.4 million per year. It is said this can be accomplished without increasing taxes, or reducing services.
Logic would dictate that if this is true and the referendum is defeated, the Nanaimo taxpayer should be able to see their taxes reduced by $5.4 million each year for the next 20 years.
That is something to consider when you cast your ballot this coming March.
Jim TaylorNanaimo
Re: Proposed events centre won’t look pretty on waterfront, Letters, Feb. 2.
I am not concerned that a multiplex would not be an attractive building. I’m sure the designers can do that, just as Victoria can make an attractive sewage treatment plant. But it still doesn’t belong on the waterfront.
What you’ll notice is that it has no windows. That’s because the people inside are focused on the event inside, not the harbour. So it doesn’t need to be near the water, and neither does it enhance harbour life. Take a look at the dead zone around Vancouver’s stadium and you will see what I mean.
This project is not ready for referendum.
John CarverNanaimo
Re: Multiplex will generate income, Letters, Feb. 14.
Here’s three reasons why I’ll be voting no on March 11:
Our downtown waterfront. Our harbour and its welcoming public spaces and mix of interesting activities is a treasure, the envy of every city in the country. It’s not the place for a large multiplex arena.
Our priorities, finding solutions to our most urgent problems. This very expensive project in my view belongs nowhere near the top of the list of community-building investments our city hall could be making right now.
Our city council. I had high hopes for this council, more diverse and representative of Nanaimo than previous councils (though there remains that gender imbalance). But I have to come to the conclusion that they simply haven’t been able to coalesce and build a team to tackle in a fresh way some of the challenges Nanaimo faces. I’m unable to support authorizing them to incur $80 million of debt to build a hockey arena.
The March 11 referendum will ask our approval of their proposal to borrow $80 million to build this large, expensive arena on our downtown waterfront. I’ll be voting no.
Frank MurphyNanaimo