The Editor,
Re: "Is such opulence really necessary for a city hall?" the Now letters, March 4.
I have not set foot inside Surrey's new city hall yet. Andrew Johnston's letter gives me a pretty good idea how our politicians have been spending taxpayers' money. I have been opposed to the advancement of construction of the new city hall. I believe it is the result of a spending spree on the part of municipal governments.
The mayor has described the new city hall as iconic. Iconic? Maybe to some.
It is her pet project. The adjoining library and the tower at Central City mall are the real icons.
The Maharani has erred on two counts: First, the new city hall did not have to be built at this time. She has said it was done to stimulate construction in City Centre. Towers have been going up all around there. So, why the uncharacteristic socialisttype meddling in the marketplace? She has stuck the taxpayers with extra costs prematurely.
Second, it is the wrong location. Imagine Vancouver city hall being in the West End or at Granville and Georgia. Access and congestion will become problematic. Location at the periphery of the core city centre area would have been the right location.
Dave Bains, Surrey