Dear Editor,
Regarding the news on “Community consultations for a new rec center off to a good start”.
It would appear based on the discussion that while Ponoka would greatly benefit from a rec center, we would only expect to see this building when the children now are adults.
But the horrific conclusion that came from this meeting is that the ball diamonds by the arena are under used. Would one conclude that if the town got rid of the diamonds that the location would be used as a parking lot for the rodeo? The meeting also determined that we need more taxes to pay for the development, the development being removing the diamonds.
I am totally shocked that the first thing Mayor Bonnet and council would do is allow for the comments and discussion that the softball diamonds are under-utilized and look at removing the ball diamonds.
I know we are very blessed to have the big rodeo here but we have to find that balance where we as community members don’t lose because of it.
If you take away a place for our kids to play for a parking lot, then ask us to pay more taxes, there is something seriously backwards about what this meeting was supposed to accomplish.
Mayor Bonnet stood at our children’s school and campaigned to them that he wanted more for them and during the first meeting, he is looking at taking away their softball diamonds and batting cage.
I would agree ALL organized sports have taken a huge drop in numbers over the years with all the computerized gadgets that offer kids hours of entertainment, but we as a community need to protect the play areas for our kids and grandchildren.
Sure, move it, build new diamonds with a proper cage for batting and a soccer field that is not a dry slew like the one we have, but build it first before you take away what little they have.
I know this letter will not change a thing, because the rodeo is bigger than the town but I just hoped that I would never lose the place that I spend hours of my summers with my daughters playing catch.
I apologize for being hypocritical as I was one of those parents benefiting from empty beer cans at the rodeo dance to raise money for the kids’ softball provincial team and if we didn’t have the dance, we wouldn’t have that opportunity to have party goes throw cans towards us for money. So in conclusion, thanks for the beer cans, here’s the diamonds.
Also with my tax money put an interval walking light at the crosswalk to organize the foot traffic from the new parking lot or build an expensive ped-way over the road. Just make sure this build happens before next election.
Lucas Willier
Ponoka