Has Democracy Died In Nanaimo?

The current example of how this city council under city staff direction are demolishing democracy is of far greater concern than the fate of the ponds in Colliery Dam Park.

City staff was making decisions about the fate of the dams back in 2009 when they told the consulting engineer that rehabilitating or rebuilding was not a good use of tax dollars. That decision was made with no public consultation.

An engineer proposed a million dollar solution to the issue of dam safety in 2010, which staff chose to ignore and once again there was no public consultation.

In June of 2012 staff were aware of a report claiming a high casualty rate should a major flood accompany a large earthquake. Again no public consultation.

In October behind closed doors staff convinced 9 councillors that these dams had to be removed as replacing them would cost $30 million and there was a 40% chance of failure in fifty years.Again no public consultation.

Now 9 out of 9 councillors agree that replacing the dams is the way to go, but are taking staff's advice to continue on the most expensive course, with no guarantee the dams will be replaced.

This is now after much public consultation and input not only from Nanaimo citizens who cherish the park. but our MLA, the Chief of SFN, fish and wildlife assoc., all of which disagree on the path being taken.

The tyrants controlling Nanaimo are not to be moved, and have now engaged high-handed intimidation tactics involving a preventative court injunction no less. 

So after lots of public input, this city council is still choosing to ignore the vast majority of expressed wishes and insist on following a costly, destructive and divisive course .........

DEMOCRACY ........................... Nanaimo-style