We don’t need another library. Plain and simple. The one we have is serving us well. Our population is not much different than a decade ago.
I am not a frequent user of the library, I have gone there on occasion, morning, afternoon and evenings and have never seen more than 20 or so people in the library. I’ve not heard of any complaints of crowding, waiting or program shortage. There are some 1,400 programs apparently, how well subscribed they are is questionable.
But for some reason, we’re going to build a $20 million structure somewhere, but we don’t know where, and we’re already hearing it’s going to cost more than estimated, but we don’t quite know how much. And we have to borrow the money to pay for something we don’t need, don’t know how much it’ll cost, don’t know where it’s to be located and have no idea when it’ll be built.
Those advocating this blunder are opposed to the public having an opportunity to have their say via a plebiscite this fall along with the civic election. We live in a democracy, so far, and those who pay should have the say.
I suspect we’ve been duped by those with special interests, wanting to expand their little empire, similar to the crazy annual expansion of City Hall even though St. Albert’s population seems stalled at around 65,000.
Let’s hope the plebiscite this fall offers a choice of “No New Library.”
The election will however provide us with an opportunity to elect a council that will be less anxious to waste money on painted sidewalks, silly gardens, roadways to nowhere replete with a traffic circle, grain elevators (not one but two) that nobody really cares about, heritage houses, a library we don’t need and the myriad of other money-pits this council has shoved down our throats.
We do, fortunately, have two or three fiscally responsible members on council, but the silly-four constantly over-rule the sensible-three.
We need change big time. Maybe Sheena Hughes or Cam MacKay will run for mayor. It would be nice to get back on a sensible track.
I don’t mind paying taxes that are needed and wisely applied. The waste and empire-building must cease.
It’s time to stop the nonsense.
Bert LaBuick, St. Albert
