Dear Editor:
Another ubiquitous picture of Mayor Wayne Wright graced the front page of your Sept. 18 publication, kicking the ceremonial football at the Hyack homecoming football game. Other headlines on the front page hinted at other political footballs being kicked down the field.
First, under the headline "Coal study draws criticisms," Port Metro Vancouver has punted the football of the proposed U.S. coal transhipment facility back to the proponent, Fraser Surrey Docks, having surveyed the onslaught of concerned citizenry in the stands and have finally called to have an environmental assessment done on the project - but not likely the "shovel to boiler" assessment called for by huddled experts. Instead, SNC Lavalin will referee a two-week (or is that too weak) review of the existing roster of data, confined to matters within Port Metro's playbook, structured to assure the touchdown of approval that Fraser Surrey Docks quarterback Jeff Scott has promised his U.S. fans. If I read your article correctly, it seems the bookies have Jeff as an odds-on favourite. The fans in the stands will be disappointed if the quick "hail Mary" pass of SNC's report to Port Metro Vancouver succeeds.
Second, under the headline "City under estimates overpass costs," we find that the city hall engineers, tasked with quarterbacking their latest foray into bridge building, missed all of their receiver-bidders when their original short pass $1.3 million escalated into a long pass of $1.85 million.
We don't know how far down the field the bids were, but the city's usual strategy couldn't even make their long game work. Coach Wright called a face-saving press conference, before his offensive
passing game fell apart, declaring that his defensive ground game aimed at Team Larco would win the day. Even wearing their shirt at city council meetings won't guarantee a win for taxpayers here.
As a final note, we couldn't resist asking how the "slot man" of Team Festivals New West, (formerly Team Hyack) is doing in preventing a quarterback sack at that venerable institution.
So far, on the first down, the quarterback was sacked. On second down, the slot man held the line, the quarterback succeeded and returned to the huddle to call the third down play. The armchair quarterbacks at city council are now threatening to revise the playbook. Will the Hyack football team have to change their name to "The Festives" in the gridiron rebranding to follow?
E.C. "Ted" Eddy, New Westminster
