As a tax-paying resident of Blind Bay, I was not only surprised, but somewhat shocked by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s proposal to purchase Centennial Park for $2.75 million dollars.
While I agree it would be nice to own this land, what other developer (if any) would ever pay three-quarter of a million dollars over the appraised (not assessed) value of this land?
Other than for a park, what good is land located on a flood plain, which would be very costly to develop for any other purpose, according to today’s building codes?
Read more: CSRD to seek voter approval to borrow $1.77 million for park land
Read more: New South Shuswap community park proposed for Blind Bay
Read more: In photos: South Shuswap celebrates Canada Day
No elected body should ever assume they are entitled to commit voters to such a substantive debt commitment without first holding a vote to determine if voters even want to proceed with such a costly proposal!
A petition of 10 per cent of Area C voters should not be required to prevent this expenditure. That is a coward’s way out. And where can one obtain a 25-year fixed interest rate loan, guaranteeing tax payments to be only $48 per year? It is always easy to spend other people’s money. Let’s think this thing through.
Ken Smith
@SalmonArm
newsroom@saobserver.net
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