by Fran Hart I signed the petition against the new Powell River Public Library site being Willingdon Beach.
However, while doing so in Town Centre Mall, and later attending gatherings outside city hall the day of the cancelled briefing to elected officials, I found myself in a group of people not only concerned about the chosen site but who definitely are against a new library period. I listened; it was an eye-opener to say the least to hear people vent this much.
After hearing their views, I too say scrap the library altogether and I feel any Powell River resident pushing for a new library in town at this point is guilty of cruelty to the other city taxpayers.
As I listened I was amazed at how long and hard these people were thinking this whole thing through. Some of their comments I’ll share with you:
“We don’t need a library, we can’t afford it;” “Our taxes are too high now before the added taxes of a library;” “There is a world recession which is said could last 12 years;” “Some financial advisors say Canada is not out of the woods when it comes to a recession regarding the world markets, et cetera;” “We have more and more homeless people;” “Food banks have more and more hungry people to deal with;” “Some children in our town are going hungry. They need food not a new library;” “People can’t give as much to charity as they once did.”
Of course, all of the above are the ripple-effects of the world recession, one way or another. Many purchases we make cost more (food especially) and the places with loss of sales are often going under.
The biggest impression these people made on me--well, the most very senior (most were seniors) ones--was their utmost concern for the ones with young families to raise who had to put the roofs over their heads and put food on the table. I realized that yes, some of the more senior of our seniors have seen the very, very tough times of the past.
While they were concerned about perhaps having to leave their own homes because of high taxes, they were also very concerned should the Catalyst Paper Corporation Powell River mill go down. What about the unfortunate 400 mill workers? What will they do?
Of course as one person threw up a point, someone else threw up another. Actually, it got more and more bleak and it has been on my mind ever since, especially when one person said, “If the mill goes down will we, the taxpayers of Powell River, have to pick up their share of the taxes?”
One person concerned about the mill closure asked how will 400 unemployed mill workers sell their homes to even try to go elsewhere for work? What of the long-time mill workers? What is their pension situation?
And where on our green earth at this recession time will 400 unemployed mill workers find jobs?
So, my opinion on the library now? Scrap the whole new library project.
Fran Hart has lived in Powell River for 50 years and enjoys the rural natural lifestyle of the community.
