To the Editor,
Re: City gauges scientific interest, Aug. 21.
Seems like we are spending money when cutbacks are being required across all governments.
And yet we come up with ideas that are great but will require funding and continual maintenance into the future.
To spawn the idea that our youngsters require additional scientific learning tools outside of the school system may not be a beneficial idea.
By union contract, a science centre may be another unrecognized teaching or extra curricular venue.
If we were to build a science centre in Nanaimo it should require the endorsement of usage by both the teachers’ union and the school board.
We already have two government-funded scientific operations in the city that could work with the community in the same manner without dotting the landscape with another building.
The biological station and the university both currently have studies that could be shared with the community in regards to biology.
Our money may be better spent on something we already have. And if they do not have the room, then look at the many vacant buildings in the downtown core.
There are absolutely dozens of vacant public and private spaces available including our glorious convention center.
Alternatively, I can see a salmon hatchery (similar to Nile Creek) being promoted in Bowen Park and the returns on the investments would be positive.
But before we do something like that we need to address the polluted upstream and downstream runoff drainage from both residential and commercial properties and streets.
Our continual ignorance of accidents could kill our investment similar to what happened in Goldstream Park. Safeguards on our Bowen Park investment will require more than what an insurance company can provide on paper.
Runoff filter systems are available and cheap. If not, we can make our own – it is not rocket science.
Matt James
Nanaimo