To the Expositor:
I don’t know Mark Smith, but can he ever paint a Cinderella story. Wow! If he kept on calculating the expenses on the 5 Points Recreation Complex I am sure the complex would not only pay for itself, but make a pile of money for the taxpayers of Central Manitoulin. According to Mark, to build a state of the art complex for our small, retiring, aging population would cost just $8 million and empty our reserves, which council keeps for emergencies, which is $500,000. That would leave us to pay an amazing $7.5 million. He says it could be financed at 3.1 percent over 30 years and that amounts to another measly $385,000 annual payment. Tear down four perfectly good buildings and now we would only pay another measly $235,000. And with sun and recycled energy from the solar panels we have it down to a mere $155,000. I’m sure if Mark kept figuring, this complex could be a real moneymaker. Even though, after talking to the NEMI chief administrative officer, Dave Williamson, it cost approximately $700,000 just to run the Little Current complex (and that was two years ago).
Somebody must be looking through rose-coloured glasses. Guess who?
Lyle Dewar
Providence Bay
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Mark Smith referred to by Mr. Dewar should in fact be Adam Smith, chair of the Central Manitoulin recreation committee. Mr. Smith was incorrectly named in the June 2 Page 1 story ‘Central goes public with concept plans for new ‘5 Points’ recreation complex.’ The Expositor regrets the error.
