I’m not going to be writing about COVID-19 this week, don’t worry.
Instead, I’m going to be discussing Port Hardy’s ill-fated Multiplex Pool Project and what the future now holds for it.
Sadly, it was announced by the district on Friday (March 27) that the monies needed to break ground won’t be arriving, as the provincial government has officially declined to help out.
So where exactly does the District of Port Hardy go from here?
That’s a good question, and realistically, there are two obvious options to choose from, which I’ll list below:
1. Abandon the project altogether and upgrade the old pool; or
2. Keep looking for additional grant funding and continue to delay the project.
This is such a tough choice to have to make. On one hand, who doesn’t want a shiny brand new swimming pool with all the latest features?
On the other hand, what can the District of Port Hardy realistically afford?
In my opinion (and that’s exactly what Tyson’s Thoughts is, my opinion) I think council needs to just let the “Multiplex Pool Project” pipe dream go and batten down the hatches financially.
With the way the world is currently going, every North Island municipal government needs to ensure they are being 100 per cent fiscally responsible to the taxpayers in the region.
Tyson Whitney is an award-winning journalist who was born and raised in Port Hardy. His family has lived in Port Hardy for more than 40 years. He graduated with a degree in writing from Vancouver Island University in 2008. Email: editor@northislandgazette.com
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