Election time is just around the corner and Squamish is abuzz with what voters want to see happen under new leadership.
Downtown revitalization seems to be a big issue, as does the desire for more local jobs, but the one topic that seems to be flying under the radar is the Sports Legacy Fund.
Anyone remember that?
Back in June 2009, VANOC announced its intention to dole out a $750,000 trust fund in support of local sport and recreation facilities in the district. Residents then had until Sept. 30, 2010 to submit proposals for the money and, from there, council reviewed the proposals.
And reviewed them. And then reviewed them again. Starting to almost sound like the Oceanfront development, isn't it?
It took council until March 2011 to hand out some money, but then lawmakers continued to discuss, discuss and discuss some more, finally making a decision on the bigger slices of cash in June.
But the sloth-like pace of council in deciding where the money should go has proceeded to bite them directly in the behind. The proposed turf-field project is facing a funding shortfall, the mountain bike community is upset after being shoved aside at the last minute and the proponents of the ski-jump facility are still waiting to see if their application to use Crown land will be approved.
The Olympics were 20 months ago and Squamish still has yet to see much benefit from the grant. Sure, we might have some new paddling equipment or a new gate at the BMX park, but the point of the fund was to establish a legacy, a point that council sorely missed.
In my opinion, the real losers in this entire situation are the soccer players of Squamish. Members of the Squamish Soccer Association jumped for joy when they learned they had been awarded $500,000, but there's still nothing to show for it.
I'm on those fields almost every weekend and the need for a turf field is apparent. In case you hadn't noticed, it rains often in Squamish. A turf field would be a godsend to teams like the Howe Sound Secondary boys high school soccer team, who were forced to cancel a game earlier this month because of rainy conditions at Brennan Park. The all-weather fields simply aren't up to par and how many parents want their kids to slide tackle on gravel? Might need to invest in a few band-aids.
In fact, the current council has decided to wash its hands of the issue, with Mayor Greg Gardner having said last month that the final verdict to move ahead with the turf field project rests on the shoulders of the newly elected council in November.
In other words, expect the new turf field to open in 2031.
In the meantime, get ready for another wet and muddy soccer season.
That is, if the fields can handle it.
