Editor: The letter from Councillor Charlie Fox published online Nov. 4 under the heading “Langley Events Centre A good deal for taxpayers,” intrigues me.
On the Township’s inauguration night just under three years ago, I sat beside the general manager of the Langley Events Centre. After a short conversation regarding the Langley Events Centre, I got the impression things were not going as planned.
It appeared to me that not everyone was committing to the project as expected. So with that said and a new mayor asking questions, the gold at the end of the rainbow appeared to be over.
After this upcoming election, I would like someone to present a notice of motion that will give us a chain of events on the Langley Events Centre. I specifically want to know whose decision it was to move forward without proper contracts and why. Not only did this “bailout” cost taxpayers over $8 million, we are also on the hook for yearly costs that would have been borne by those who opted out.
As for the appraised value being $100 million, that seems a bit of a stretch. The B.C. Assessment figure doesn’t even come close to $100 million. In my opinion, this has our provincial government and its campaign contributors written all over it. Just follow the names involved and their contributions over the years.
If Fox is re-elected, maybe he could make the notice of motion I’m looking for. If I’m wrong, I will gladly eat crow and he will come out smelling like a rose — or maybe not. And if Fox believes the voting public wants projects of this magnitude done without proper contracts — think again.
Dennis Townsend,
Langley