Soccer dome saga not over

Dear editor: The West Kelowna soccer field fiasco continues and Gordon Wiebe expects us to vote for him.

Starting at public meetings in January 2017, there was approval towards the design and construction of a soccer dome in West Kelowna. The project was contingent on the funding, of which twothirds was to be from donations and grants ($666,667) from the soccer association and one-third from the city ($333,333). The city would also donate the required land which needed to meet the requirements of the soccer association. The entire project, including land, was estimated to cost $1.5 million.

The project was delayed as the soccer association refused several city-owned properties to house the dome. Wiebe, who personally told me the costs would never exceed $1.5 million, played the city council and the media to obtain advancement of his dome and the city proceeded prior to final cost estimates.

Here we stand today at a cost of $3.5 million plus the cost of new land in Rose Valley. (Perhaps a total of $4 million and they are not finished yet.) Not to mention that the city had to eliminate six future projects and use up reserves to pay for Wiebe’s dome.

Wiebe stated, “We do think the project can be done for $1.5 million, and we’re already bringing about $700,000 for it to the city.” He underbudgeted his soccer dome and now it’s going to cost to the taxpayers of West Kelowna. He now expects us to vote for him and let him do more projects with our money.

So, if you think utility poles in the middle of a sidewalk is a poor use of city funds, wait until the soccer dome fiasco is completed. The pain is not over and there is no relief in sight. Prepare for tax increases as we will never be able to keep up with the budgeting/spending habits of such people on our city council.

But who cares? We vote them in let them do what they want! Overbudget projects include the Gellatly Road, the wine trail, the soccer dome, and now apparently the Rose Valley water filtration plant. Our property taxes are increasing faster than inflation, water fees are tripling and money is being spent on pet vanity projects.

Does anybody actually knows where our money has gone?

Bill Anstead West Kelowna