Step up to the mike

By Glenn Mitchell Editorial Sep 17 2006
Normally us residents know when politicians actually listen to what we have to say - election time. Otherwise they normally go about their business representing us in Ottawa or Victoria or at city hall and making decisions on our behalf without actually consulting us about anything. Now this may sound cynical but hey that's how democracy works. We voted these guys and girls in to do a job and we should trust them to do it. If there's an issue that's really important to us or hits close to home (like our backyard) then we might speak up, but we don't want our elected representatives to run willy-nilly all over the place doing a survey on which way to vote on every issue. They are elected to be leaders and they should lead, ask questions when they don't know about something, and then make informed decisions in the best interests of the community as a whole. Meanwhile we can monitor what they do over their terms in the newspaper and judge them accordingly at election time. Anyway, today's civics lesson is coming to you today due to the fact that this is one of those rare times in our lives when we are being consulted about which way to go on two topics of community interest, and they just might listen to us to boot. One is a review of what to do with the Vernon Recreation Complex auditorium - again - as Greater Vernon Services continues to struggle with a white elephant who's best years are in the past. And the other is Polson Park, where thanks to an illegal bonfire that hopefully doesn't go unpunished, an opportunity presents itself and GVSC wants to hear from you about which direction to go in the future. So, they want to hear from us, and just in case they are listening at this non-election time, we should step up and let them know what we think. Hell, I'll throw in my two-bits for what it's worth (hopefully at least a loonie or two). Thanks to the Multiplex and the Performing Arts Centre, the aging auditorium is considered second-rate. Certainly there's still activities that fit nicely into its concrete walls, like Creative Chaos, Winter Carnival, the ski swap, hockey dances, Christmas craft sales and some others.
But not enough others to justify the fact that it costs taxpayers a tidy sum to keep the lights on when hardly anybody's home most nights. A few years ago GVSC had a plan to turn the auditorium into offices and a home for the tourist booth (along with a wine and gift shop), which was met with plenty of protest, largely I suspect with some sense of sentiment to what the auditorium once was.