Comments on: Castlegar Gaming Centre Update

By: Castlegar Springs — UrbanWorkbench

Castlegar Springs — UrbanWorkbench — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:02:57 +0000

[...] In Castlegar, we don’t have helicopters to sell or a police force we can cut, but we can be more restrained in how we develop infrastructure such as the plans to service the airport lands and the proposed gaming centre. [...]

By: Kari Burk

Kari Burk — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:39:50 +0000

I agree with you , Ray. The gaming centre needs to be re-examined. For example , how does a project like this benefit the children and youth of our community? It doesn’t. How about the energy that it takes to maintain our community ? I’m talking about the ‘after 9-5′ commitment and dedication stuff ? hmmm….Shall we read a story to the kids tonight or go gamble ? Should we go to that meeting to organize a benefit for a community service or go gamble ? How about building a nice big outdoor skating rink there with a place to buy a hot chocolate and skate and chat with friends and family. …key word here….family. How about an agricultural learning centre that teaches farming , gardening , cooking , etc. If our projects in our community are not well rounded , uniting us a community , they will not succeed .

By: Janice

Janice — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:51:59 +0000

There are so many more important and pressing needs in Castlegar that need addressing like an unexpected demand for an extra utilities expense for 2010.
Ouch!

The way that the cost of living is rising, who will have spare money to gamble?

People can only (should) gamble with their disposable money.

By: Raymond Koehler

Raymond Koehler — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:06:11 +0000

Is it perhaps time to take the Gaming Centre out of the backrooms of City Hall and re-examine it, in Public, in the ‘light of day’ .. and given today’s realities?

When first proposed, the Gaming Centre appeared to be a first step towards economic diversification. I was one of the few folks who had an opportunity to actually ‘vote’ on the City’s participation in this Project. At that time, I was willing to support the Project 1) as a test case; 2) as at least one effort to stimulate some diversified economic development.

Since that time many things have changed.

We have all learned a lot about sustainable communities, and the ‘social costs’ that the Recession, the Interfor Mill Shut Down, and the \Celgar Tax Debate\ have brought to the Community.

The Public also learned that Canada’s Economic ACTION PLAN (at least the initial Federal version) was not going to participate in the Million Dollar Sewer Line proposed to cross under the Kinnarid Bridge, bringing City Utilities to The Gaming Centre, Doukhobor Discovery Centre, Art Gallery, and The Airport Lands.

The City established a Public Consultation Process around sustainability issues, in advance of Public Participation in advance of the much anticipated revisions to the City’s Master Planning document and received a strong message from the participants that downtown re-development should take precedent over ‘commercail / urban sprawl’ at the Airport. Not to mention, the ongoing discussions around Public Transit and how to maximize transportation alternatives.

Mercifully, the City Council is now moving away from what were standing \jokes & guffaws\ at Council Meetings whenever \Green/ Sustainability\ issues were raised.

However, now that the proposed Gaming Centre Project has ‘stalled’, through no fault of the City’s efforts, perhaps this is an opportunity to pause, take a deep breath,
establish a legitimate, well-publized Public Imput Process, to re-examine the Gaming Centre issues. … documentable benefits, drawbacks & concerns, before we ‘stumble on’ into an unknown future.

Raymond Koehler

By: ej

ej — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:50:58 +0000

And Castlegar needs this – why exactly?
It seems to me that the money and other resources could be spent in so many better ways…