Editor, The News:
Re: Counter-petition for Maple Ridge rec projects ‘like something out of Russia.’
If you do not vote ‘no’ it means ‘yes.’
The City of Maple Ridge is in the process of borrowing $49.5 million dollars to finance eight different projects: several community centres, Leisure Centre upgrade, Whonnock Lake Canoe and Kayak Club centre and the most expensive one – $23.5 million, for a new ice sheet.
To do so, the city has chosen an alternative approval process.
This alternative approval process means that if you do not vote no, it means yes.
The city requires 10 per cent of the registered voters to vote against each item in order for them to cancel each or all projects.
You have to get or download the alternative approval process election response form for each and every item, fill it out, sign it and take it to city hall in order to have your choice count.
That will mean they require 5,828 voting residents to disapprove any project.
While I do not dispute that all these improvements would benefit our community, I find the process by which the city is trying to ram it through without proper citizen consultation and a fair process of voting very deceptive, undemocratic and devious.
I urge you all and those of voting age in your household, your neighbours and friends who are voting residents of Maple Ridge to take the time to print out each sheet and fill out the items that you do not support.
If you don’t fill it out and return it to city hall, the assumption is that you are in support.
Copies are available at the library and city hall. Deadline is Feb. 19.
While we still have so much homelessness and many other urgent infrastructure needs, we may want to carefully weigh our choices of what needs funding most.
Maria Raynolds
Maple Ridge