To the Editor,
Re: Public petitions for pool access, Aug. 4.
I would like to bring the following information to the citizens of Nanaimo and surrounding regional district electoral areas of Lantzville, Area A (Cedar), Area B (Gabriola Island) and Area C (Extension and East Wellington).
When first constructed, Beban Park (pool, Frank Crane Arena and social centre) was built and operated by the regional district of which the City of Nanaimo was a participant along with electoral Areas A, B, C, and Lantzville and through that service would have contributed capital cost to that facility from approximately 1972 to 1992. The city later took over ownership and management of the facility and the electoral areas and Lantzville contributed by way of agreement.
The premise of this agreement is for all areas to share proportionally, based on usage, operational costs of sports fields and recreational facilities that have regional use. Capital costs are not part of this service agreement.
Two questions: Can the city unilaterally close Beban Pool if there is an agreement in place with the RDN? Did Western Management Consultants have this information before they made the suggestion to consider closing Beban Pool for three months every summer and if not, why not?
Sharon BennettNanaimo