Boathouse & Paddling Centre - Concern

Boathouse & Paddling Centre Should Not Use Taxpayer Funds

 

Make it clear, I am not against the boathouse and paddling centre. If the SFN, VIU and the Dragon Boat festival are in support, that is fine, LET THEM FUND IT. Let them go to the bank and co-sign on the mortgage. The Nanaimo Canoe and Kayak club can take out a second mortgage or use their line of credit.  The Nanaimo Paddlers can hold fundraisers for as long as it takes.

BUT this project is for private enterprise and should NOT be funded by the taxpayer. The city does NOT fund bus tours, the city should not be funding Hotels, the city does not fund restaurants. There is no conceivable reason for the city to fund this boathouse proposal. 

Alberni Outpost already runs a paddling and adventure centre on the waterfront, and the city should not be helping one business enterprise put another out of of business. If the Boathouse Society wants, they could go to Alberni Outpost with their ideas and ask how they could help Alberni Outpost be more of a success or they could compete on a level playing field.

We have seen the record of the presenter. When city council asked her about fundraising for other endeavors- it was plain to see the response. When city council refused to buckle to her demands for management fees to be paid by the taxpayer, she bailed out -leaving the project at risk and leaving the taxpayer in the lurch. City Council was forced to go to the public and ask for help. She is here again asking for taxpayer funded management fees. 

When the Society first approached the city, 'the commission recommended that the society proceed with a feasibility study on the concept... '  What did the society do? I hear they went and suckered the NEDC to pay for this study.  They did not raise the money themselves, they did not call on their own so-called experts.. they got the city taxpayer to pay for the study. 

In reality, if this project had a leg to stand on from a business point of view, the group could get private financing and make money on the project.  They are coming to council because they KNOW they can't go to the bank.   

This Boathouse group is being predatory.  Like a smooth operator going to family.. knows full well no bank would support the project, they have amassed other family members to say 'Great Idea', but we notice none of the other so called family is prepared to put in 'their money'.  Now the predator is focusing on the rich aunt who is known to have a big bank account and a problem saying 'no'.   

City Council is in a win-win situation tonight. If this business plan is such a good idea, say no to risking taxpayer money and force the Boat house Society to obtain private financing.  If the Boathouse Society is successful, the city gets the tourists anyways. If they are not successful with private money.. the taxpayer loses nothing.  City Council wins either way.

Others here tonight call it 'trough feeding', not that they are wrong - I suggest being a little more polite. This may be a new concept in municipal politics for Nanaimo, it is called 'tough love'.  It is time to quit the coddling, let these projects take responsibility for their own fiscal duties. If it is to succeed, let it succeed on its own merits. 

It is not the taxpayers responsibility to risk or to pay for peoples dreams or hobbies. 

Tim McGrath