Dear Editor:
Re: Whitecaps decision was puzzling, Opinion, The Record, Oct. 10.
Mr. Brett asks what happened when the Whitecaps' franchise to Queen's Park Stadium failed. In spite of Mr. Brett's win-win scenario, at Queen's Park, only 29 out of 50 residents surveyed were in favour and 21 against in a very narrow survey of a few residents. Also important is the fact that many Queen's Park residents, when they found out what was going on, turned out to the meeting of council in Queensborough and also to the council meeting a week later to speak out against it.
According to Mr. Brett, people were shouted down and the opposition used misinformation. I was there, and no one was shouted down, and a lack of information, not misinformation was the problem. Even Mayor Wright had to apologize for the lack of consultation and information, with one council member after another stating that it came down to the financial numbers. Coun. Jonathan Cote said the cost was too significant to saddle the community with this expenditure of $11.4 million to accommodate the franchise at the expense of cutting other planned projects.
So, Mr. Brett, your discontent and misrepresentation of the legitimate questions and concerns of people and their rejection of this deal in what is obviously a personal issue for you, does not change the facts or rightful concerns and objections by the community at large.
For a number of years, the Whitecaps have been housed in Vancouver and Burnaby, where there are more facilities. One question never answered was: if this was such a good, win-win financial business
deal, why did they let it slip through their fingers?
Simply put, the $11.4 million in costs to the community for a "business plan" that would put a for-profit sports franchise in Queen's Park was not acceptable; especially as it meant the displacement of other sports, such as baseball, and the overall effect on other park facilities, parking and impact on nearby residents with traffic and noise.
It is regrettable that this fiasco has caused the Cannons' baseball team of the B.C. Premier Baseball League that has used the Queen's Park Stadium for six years, paying $90,000 in fees for its use, has had its membership in the league revoked because it could not confirm the use of the stadium for the 2015 season. Let us now hope this revocation can be reversed.
Again, lack of forethought as to the consequence to the park and other park users is, in my opinion, the bigger issue, notwithstanding the dumping of costs onto the people of this city.
Finally, I believe it was the concerns expressed and unanswered questions posed by the citizens that finally produced the wake-up call that the city council needed.
William Zander, New Westminster
