To the Editor,
Re: Consider city’s blue-collar roots, Opinion, May 11.
In response to Grant Maxwell, and his support for the multiplex idea: what Victoria has going for it is a population of roughly 350,000, in the greater Victoria area.
That’s at least three times Nanaimo’s population, and means Victoria’s publicly-funded Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena has a good chance of attracting big name acts and drawing the crowds needed to attend them.
Besides, Nanaimo has a publicly-funded performance venue in the Port Theatre. It’s top notch, but doesn’t support itself and needs taxpayer subsidies.
While Elton John could play there, he doesn’t.
My sense is if Nanaimo had the population to support another venue, then by all means build it.
Until we can fill and support the venues we have, adding another just doesn’t make sense.
Especially not in light of the current tax burden on residents and the economic outlook.
Brendan Millbank
Nanaimo