Marilyn McSporran's letter about the Healing Garden deserves a response that puts into context why so many people are upset about the increased cost of the project.
In July the Gazette quite rightly noted that city council should be demanding answers from administration about why they did not do a geotechnical survey of the area where the garden was intended to be built ("Costs are too high", July 16). As the Gazette pointed out, that part of St. Albert is known for being a floodplain, so why did city administration not do its homework beforehand?
This is why so many people are upset. A proper geotechnical survey would have resulted in a more accurate cost estimate when the Healing Garden first came to city council. Many people have balked at the increased costs, particularly when the economy is in bad shape and many people are concerned about their finances.
Thanks to the lack of proper cost estimates, supporters of the Healing Garden are forced to face a delay in the construction. This comes after Elder Tony Arcand had already blessed the site, and a public reaction that's far worse than it would have originally been had the costs been more accurately estimated.
The residential school survivors are not to blame here. The Healing Garden would be a wonderful addition to St. Albert's heritage, an important way to build a better future. However, the lack of a proper geotechnical survey has caused all kinds of grief that nobody needed.
The residential school survivors deserve better than this.
Jared Milne, St. Albert
