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Put the brakes on YMCA project

Re: Approval in principle for new YMCA. Residents of all ages enjoy wonderful, reasonably priced fitness facilities ...

Re: Approval in principle for new YMCA.

Residents of all ages enjoy wonderful, reasonably priced fitness facilities provided by the existing Abbotsford recreation centres. They are fully equipped, staffed with fully trained, friendly assistants, and in my experience as an almost daily visitor, seldom used to capacity.

In addition, Abbotsford has a good selection of privately run fitness centres.

The proposed additional facilities to be provided by the YMCA are therefore, not necessary – especially when prioritized by common-sense citizens against the need for improved local police facilities, and road improvements, etc.

Should the building of a YMCA be completed, rather than encourage a desirable rush of new fitness enthusiasts, it will surely result in loss of revenue for city/taxpayer-funded rec centres, and have a detrimental effect on established fitness-related businesses.

As politician-weary citizens already know from past budget projections made by government professionals and their high-priced consultants, be it related to the purchase of fighter planes, or locally, financing of our entertainment centre/Abbotsford Heat hockey club, such projections must be expected to prove  alarmingly underestimated.

Taxpayers have learned to project with confidence that many government projections will be underestimated!

We need to put a brake on council’s apparent enthusiasm to rush into the approval of this unnecessary expenditure.

Tony Jones