Dear Editor:
Summerland mayor and council are getting scary even considering building a recreation complex that is estimated at $55.3 million which I’m sure could cost upwards of $70 million.
First off, a population of approximately 11,500 can’t support that cost.
Apparently we can’t even afford to pave our broken roads, fix our beaches and walking trails because that’s not happening.
Secondly, I have heard people say, “build it and they would come,” figuring more people would move to our city if there was a bigger, better recreation centre. How can that happen?
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Yes, Hunters Hill is going to be a great addition to our town but where do we get more land to build more houses.
So much of Summerland is agricultural land, we have no space to build more housing developments of a size needed to pay for something of that cost.
If you think people will come, where will they live?
The mayor and council can’t even find land to build a dog park or pickleball courts. They had to hire a consultant to try and do that.
I don’t even know where they are considering building this recreation complex because it sure won’t fit in the same location as now. And I’ve read they want to build indoor tennis courts.
Why tennis? Why not a sports building to include tennis, pickleball, floor hockey, volleyball, basketball, etc.?
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world. And yes, I play pickleball, but even I wouldn’t suggest that this town support a building for only one sport.
Summerland is a bedroom community of Penticton whether we like that or not, whether or not we don’t feel we should have to drive all that way for sports, shopping, hospital, etc.
Most small communities have something that brings others to their town. Peachland has their beautiful waterfront with walkway, restaurants, public marina and even indoor pickleball courts. Summerland has their ball fields, badminton hall, ice rink, curling, lots of art and antique shops.
I really can’t say people come for our beaches because there is no appeal there except maybe Sunoka, but then that’s a provincial park. And our walking trails are also not the greatest. The trail along Peach Orchard Road is not maintained, Slater Road trail above Crescent Beach has so much dog poop on it, it’s disgusting and the trail at Rotary Beach has been broken since the flood in 2017. The campsite could use an upgrade, it has no playground for kids, the sites are not level, etc.
If we can’t maintain what we have, how do the mayor and council figure we can afford to build anything? And where do they think they have land to build on without taking away land from ball or soccer fields or again building on school property?
Ali Steenbergen
Summerland
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