Yellow card

If it wasn’t a waste of public money, the latest chapter in the Westside soccer dome saga would be funny. The controversial soccer dome project in West Kelowna will again come before city council today.

It all began in 2016 when the Westside Youth Soccer Association received a provincial grant for $670,000, thanks to Westside’s MLA Christy Clark. It was originally hoped a soccer dome could be built for that price.

Then it went up to $1.5 million, then $3.6 million.

The council of the day (several were not re-elected) dropped other planned recreational projects to free up money needed for the dome.

City councillors are about to be told that additional money will likely be required because one item was overlooked in the initial plans. Washrooms. According to the BC Building Code, at least eight public washrooms will be needed for a structure its size.

Reports came before the last council every second month. Everything was good, they were told.

We’ve all made mistakes. But, how many people saw the plans, were involved with the process and where was council to offer a sober-second thought?

The law of averages is that with hundreds of children playing soccer, along with the parents and grandparents who will drive them to games and practices, someone will have to pee.

Thank goodness the dome isn’t licensed for alcohol, then they really would have had a problem.

The entire thing seems strange. Were price estimates kept low on purpose to move the process along?

Even the world’s worst designer would know that any public facility would need facilities.

Would you design a home and forget the washroom? At least Mike Brady had one washroom for his blended family of eight (nine, if you count Alice.)

No matter how they try and spin this one, it was a mistake.

Those directly involved with the soccer dome project deserve a red card.

Err, let’s make that a yellow.