Dear Editor:
The cause is just and the effort noble, but the fundraising mountain is steep and the boulder huge. Is such valiant effort necessary when aid is so nearby?
We are familiar with the first incredibly Herculean campaign of the John Robson Elementary School parent advisory council to raise an extraordinary amount of money ($60,000) for the new playground equipment at the new Qayqayt Elementary School. We shared in the anticipation of victory... and then shared the heartbreak of defeat as funds were awarded to another worthy cause.
Our mayor and council watched the heartbreak and could have salved the emotional wound - but chose not to. Why?
We are aware of the John Robson Elementary School PAC'S new national campaign to seek funding to pay for some of the new playground equipment at Qayqayt Elementary, but even if they win the $20,000 top prize they will be $60, 000 short of the required funds.
What will be the outcome: victory, or more heartbreak?
Why is our council so indifferent to the plight of the John Robson Elementary School PAC when the solution is simple and at easily at hand?
I always thought (through the months of the first fundraising campaign) that the Qayqayt Elementary playground equipment would be on the school's property but was recently startled to find out that the playground equipment was completely within the new St. Mary's Park boundary ... on public city land.
Why is our city not using development cost charge park reserve funds to pay for the development of the park and the new playground equipment at St. Mary's Park?
Why such council parsimony with their decision to not direct DCC money to St. Mary's Park and playground when just to the south the city recently funnelled $6 million DCC park reserve money to Westminster Pier Park?
We are all risking further heartbreak if the John Robson Elementary PAC national campaign fails again - and no playground equipment will be bought for the public St. Mary's Park and, even if they win, they will be $60,000 short of their goal. Then what - more frustration and heartbreak?
Our council could prevent the heartbreak if they relieved the burden of playground equipment fundraising from the John Robson PAC and paid for the new St. Mary's Park playground equipment from DCC park reserves or just paid for the playground equipment from the general fund because it's the right and charitable thing to do.
Christopher Bell, New Westminster
