There Comes a Time

Someone who loves this town more than politics has left a new comment on your post "Furthermore":

The issue here is that three non-Town organizations all want use of the facility. Two of the organizations are part of the Old Boys club and get special treatment. The third wants to have a more equitable situation but she is an outsider.

The solution, I see that each club lists the number of members. The allocation should be pro-rated based on the number of members. Then it's fair to everyone

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The issue is not as you see it. Master Ducks, Ducks of Steel and Special Ducks are not part of any Old Boys Club I know about.

They are business clients of the Town of Aurora. Yes, they were there first.

The Selkies was founded after the Stronach Centre was constructed. After contracts were already signed taking up all available lanes.

The Town has no obligation to provide facilities for private enterprise. It is in our best interest to have successful revenue producing clients.

If we follow your rationale,anyone should be able to start a business, confident of the town's obligation to provide the facility to accommodate their business.

Could a dance teacher commit to providing classes without a studio?

How many times can a finite space be divided to accommodate every business that appears on the scene?

What right does a latecomer have to demand earlier patrons be pushed aside to make room for them?

What obligation do you as a taxpayer feel to provide facilities for private business to service however many clients they choose to sign up without having facilities to provide the committed service?

I personally feel none.

The town provides swimming lessons in our recreation program. We are accommodating families who wish and can afford for their children to have that opportunity.We are not yet at capacity. Eighty-per cent of pool time is community use.

I already mentioned, Selkies owner was offered space in the Aurora Leisure Complex.It wasn't the preferred option.

Selkies contend Clubs already contracted at the Stronach Centre be pushed out to make room for Selkies.

How is that reasonable?

Since when does messing around with the business operation of a town facility become a responsibility of Councillors?

Staff are provided with policy guidelines set by Council to manage facilities.

Why is it preferable for policies to be bypassed and decisions made on basis of immediate political imperative?

Imagine the time spent at the Council table, hearing from this group about entitlement at the expense of that group?

It is the nature of politicians to wish to please.

We have just come out of a term of council when pandering was paramount.The electorate didn't think much of that.

We could plunge the Town into horrendous debt and build facilities far beyond our needs to accommodate every private swim club that came to our door. Once the word got out, no doubt there would be plenty.

If because of the numbers, clubs ceased to be profitable, what answer would we give when inevitably they sought lower fees ?

We have a situation at the Community Centre with the Aurora Tigers.

Hockey lovers no longer come out in sufficient numbers to watch the spirited game.

They don't feel the need for the excitement. To hear the crack of a stick square against a puck in a powerful slapshot. Or a puck bounces off the goal post or makes it in and bounces back out. Or the goalie stops it and in a flash a stick sends it right back in.

No longer do they need to feel the wind created by an Amazon figure in full gear swooshing past,the sound of ice sliced by skates moving at a hundred miles an hour.

When a player takes off his helmet and sweat pours from every strand of hair on his head. eyelashes, eyebrows, the end of his nose and around his chin, indicating the superhuman energy it takes to play the game.

People don't seem to need excitement any more. They can sit at home with beer and pretzels, watch it on the box, save themselves a trip out in the cold and the few bucks for admission.

Aurora Tigers struggle to survive. Many years the town makes concessions and waits for months for the annual account to be settled.

What else can we do?

We built a state-of-the art home for the Tigers with spectator seating to accommodate thousands and extra costs for operation. We opened it early because that year The Tigers made it to the play-offs and became a Junior A team.

It was our pride and joy. It brought the community together in a way nothing else had. Before,we were driving our kids all over God's Half Acre to find ice time wherever it was.After, we were rousting six and seven year olds out of bed at five on a Saturday and Sunday morning. so that everyone could be accommodated.

Are we going to send the Tigers packing because they have trouble meeting the financial responsibilities?

Would Aurora be better off without a Junior A Hockey Franchise?

Should an empty silent facility built for better times but still costing more money to operate, become nothing but a ghostly memory by a political decision?

Who wants to answer that question?

And talking about clubs and space needs; should the Aurora Figure Skating Club move over to make room for every new club that chooses to organise notwithstanding finite space accommodation?

I'm done with this argument now? If logic and facts fail to persuade,we will simply have to agree to disagree...agreeably one hopes.