What are Rosslanders' Recreation Priorities? Tell the City, Please.
By Sara Golling
Recreation is a huge part of Rossland’s appeal; it’s the reason many of us live here. There are so many options – and some of them require significant investment from the people who use them, and from other taxpayers.
Maybe we can’t afford to keep them all. How much are we really willing to pay, and for what facilities? City Council has some hard decisions to make, and needs to hear from the people who will ultimately pay for those decisions.
Dedicated citizens and recreationists showed up at the event at the Miners Hall on Wednesday, September 12, to give their views. Others have already filled in the on-line questionnaire.
Have you already provided your views? If not, it might help to read the backgrounder first – the fact sheet — to get the big picture on the facts the City has to work with. Then, if you haven’t already, you can complete the survey. The link to the survey is at the bottom of the fact sheet.
The City is doing its best to act in the best interests of the majority of its residents, but to do that it needs to hear from as many of us as possible about what our interests and priorities are. Is the arena necessary for your family? How about Rossland’s pool? Both of these facilities need investment if they’re to remain open.
What do you want your tax dollars to support, and are you willing to pay any increase in taxes for your family’s favourite things? We’ve already mentioned the arena and the pool; how about our network of trails? Library? Museum? Playing fields? Skatepark?
If you haven’t yet filled out the survey, the City is waiting to hear from you. Democracy works only with an informed public who provide their views and their votes. Apathy doesn’t do anything.
(This is your local, independent, non-mainstream-media, challenging and encouraging current non-contributors to become better citizens. Nag, nag … but really, it’s fun, and your reward is building a better, more responsive community.)
