Let the fundraising begin
Went to the Police BBQ, a fundraiser for the Hospital and came away with a bigger story than hotdogs on a bun.
The Stimulus money is coming, the stimulus money is coming! the real fun now starts. Bob"have I got a story for you" Spooner figures that the amount to be raised to keep the taxpayers' money away from this project is about 2.5million, others on Council think it is more but whatever it is Cobourg's contribution, after using the "Playmoney" should be raised and paid for by interested people and future users. Don't expect the taxpayer to put up money for this out of the tax rolls when the majority of taxpayers wait to be convinced of the need. The BR position is simple those that want it should find the money to fill in the blanks. And if they, the users, can't find what amounts to about ten per cent of the cost then they don't deserve a building.
But back to the hot dogs. This BBQ was organised by Deputy chief Dave (Cromlish) - seen on the left, and raised $255 dollars - 51 citizens came out and had a cheap lunch and raised money for the hospital while chowing down with lunchbuddies and had a good time. Well done!
The Stimulus money is coming, the stimulus money is coming! the real fun now starts. Bob"have I got a story for you" Spooner figures that the amount to be raised to keep the taxpayers' money away from this project is about 2.5million, others on Council think it is more but whatever it is Cobourg's contribution, after using the "Playmoney" should be raised and paid for by interested people and future users. Don't expect the taxpayer to put up money for this out of the tax rolls when the majority of taxpayers wait to be convinced of the need. The BR position is simple those that want it should find the money to fill in the blanks. And if they, the users, can't find what amounts to about ten per cent of the cost then they don't deserve a building.
But back to the hot dogs. This BBQ was organised by Deputy chief Dave (Cromlish) - seen on the left, and raised $255 dollars - 51 citizens came out and had a cheap lunch and raised money for the hospital while chowing down with lunchbuddies and had a good time. Well done!
12 comments:
The full story on money from 2 levels of Government was announced today - lots of it. All labeled as stimulus money. So Cobourg now has $18 million and needs another $9m from somewhere to build the Cadillac community centre. Details are in press releases. One source is here: http://www.ricknorlock.ca/home.php
Actually 18.2 million from both levels of government and a further $2.1 to urbanize Darcy St. in advance of the community centre being built. The new community cenre with todays announcemnt is a done deal is anybody going to waste their time writing opinions to the contrary just like Cobourg wasn't getting a new fountain and rink. Again with over $ 20 million in total the government grants announced today it is a done deal.
We all know it is a done deal. What is not a done deal are the building details, who gets what and who pays the Cobourg portion - users or taxpayers?
I for one am happy about all this. Hopefully Cobourg will have one facility where I can take my son to hockey, my daughter to dance and go for a run all in one place.
Sorry if you don't share my excitement, but I just can't be negative about this.
By the way Ben, where do you get your data saying that the majority of tax payers are against this?
Then you will be very happy to support it in a public fundraising venture put your money in and you will probably get a tax receipt in return.. The more people who support it will make the public fundraising easier. The majority of people I talk to don't like the size, proposed funding or the way it has been foisted upon us so far with a minimal amount of public expression. The Public input to date was to circulate a survey amongst a small percentage of citizens and the answers were heavily slanted toward a rink. If you read the survey the questions were of the push type designed to elicit favourable answers. Of the 30% Cobourg money going in 20% of it is money coming from public assets which should be put into the bottom line to reduce taxes, that won't happen because we a re going to fund a community centre with it. I say again if we cannot expect the users to fork out 10% they don't deserve to have a place to take their kids. Pay to play! The final word is that all of us are paying 90% let the users kick in the other 10%
I will be donating and am willing to help with the fundraising any other way I can.
I took the on-line survey and in no way did I find the questions "push type".
Ben, from your previous posts you have made it clear that all you wanted was a senior's centre, so I knew before reading this post where your comments would lead.
I still have trouble with the comment:
"The majority of people I talk to don't like the size, proposed funding or the way it has been foisted upon us so far with a minimal amount of public expression."
Simply because you give no reference to how many people you have spoken with.
I could just as easily say that the majority of people I have spoken with support the project. I may have only spoken with 5 people, but if 4 of them support the project, then I have a majority.
Quantify, quantify, quantify.
Personally I can live with no expansion of any facilities. The Seniors need more room there is plenty waiting to be coordinated in both public and private space around Town. The Rinkers say they need more space but do they really? Has ice time become congested? Have any kids been denied playing time? I suspect that the hockey moms feels inferior when they travel out of Town and find newer facilities and they want the same.
As to the quantification question The proponents have to do more than have a consultant survey 300 people to justify a $30 million dollar expenditure.
Unless the 300 surveyed want to give $33,000 each to make up the municipal share.
My objection is that public funds will be used to build and operate a community centre that will then charge user fees which will keep low income people out.
Even if Ben thinks it is fair that children be excluded if their parents can't pay, I certainly don't. I don't think he does either, but that's what he said.
Cobourg always builds a cadillac when a K-car would do quite nicely. If we were more modest in our expectations we could probably afford to subsidise folks who need it.
This is one taxpayer who is very sick of how anyone not middle class gets shoved off to the side and ignored. Actually in this town being ignored is preferable to being actively scorned, which is how some people feel if they have the nerve to show up at the Y without the latest designer exercise/swim wear.
replay that quote back to me it got lost in my usual expectorations about all and sundry
Quoting BB: "I say again if we cannot expect the users to fork out 10% they don't deserve to have a place to take their kids. Pay to play".
That was comment #5. Am guessing it's a case of the typing fingers being in gear faster than the brain. Or something like that.
Rule #5 of Ferman Lex, my high school drafting teacher: Be sure your mind is in gear before your mouth is in motion.
Quote from William Sloane Coffin: To be avoided at all costs is the solace of opinion without the pain of thought.
Words to live by, Ben, not that I myself take them seriously. If things get tough around here, I'll just start posting as Anon.
Funny: one question that occurred to me was, What will be the charge at the exit gate of the parking lot?
Then, I thought, do away with the parking lot, just provide a bus stop. People who drive can park at the mall or the hospital and take the bus from there.
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