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Parks and rec should have say

What is the role of the city’s parks department here? Why haven’t they spoken up?

To the Editor,

Re: Park lease agreement falls to new council, Oct. 30.

Some city councillors have offered the golf course at Beban Park as a precedent that justifies the long-term lease of Georgia Park on our waterfront. The minutes from the parks commission and council meetings back when the golf course was proposed show that the commission, its parks committee and the city parks department all offered convincing reasons why this was of considerable public benefit.

Why has no such argument been made in support of this proposal for the 60-year lease of a waterfront park? What is the role of the city’s parks department here? Why haven’t they spoken up? Are they having trouble credibly saying that a hotel loading zone is just the thing every waterfront park should have?

Frank MurphyNanaimo