Incomprehensible

(Open letter to SCRD board members)
I am writing in response to the decision that the SCRD rural directors have agreed to have a “community consultation” for the scope and location of the Coopers Green Hall.
I personally cannot understand the rationale for such an incredible waste of time, money and effort such as the above.
I was a member of the community task force back in 2017 through 2018. Under the direction of SCRD staff, my fellow volunteers and I spent countless hours, days and months researching and taking direction from staff regarding the many options for a much needed new HMB community hall. The most logical site for the build proved to be on the footprint of the old hall.
We did not make the decisions that were needed for this project lightly.
Many factors were researched and discussed. There were public input sessions, surveys, studies that included the sea level rise prediction, riparian area study, parking, neighbourhood impact, ecological impact, i.e. tree removal (with the chosen location of the new hall, three trees in total will be removed, one of which is diseased). All of this information is available through SCRD for your or anyone else’s perusal, and I would encourage you to review this existing information.
I do not understand your logic of opening discussion once again. Where is your fiscal responsibility? Over $100,000 was spent on compiling all the information needed and required by all involved. The fact that you are willing to consider treating this expenditure so lightly and choose to repeat this expensive and utterly unnecessary undertaking is incomprehensible.
As a member of the task force, I feel completely insulted by your management of this project. I, and many other people, volunteered countless hours to this community project because we thought it would be a positive addition to HMB, as do many residents. You, on the other hand, have now decided that the work of the task force and SCRD has no validity, and you want to start the process all over again.
At no point have the rural directors given a definitive reason for wanting to begin again with this project. There have been vague explanations – the cost of COVID-19, the boat ramp expense (not even a part of this project), we must listen to ALL residents’ concerns (there was ample time given during the research portion, why is it coming up again two years later?), the cost is exorbitant, etc.
This past July, the Federal and Provincial government’s pledged funding of two-plus million dollars for this project, as well, HBCoA along with many HMB residents have pledged and raised over $300,000.
The Halfmoon Bay community is moving forward in doing our part to ensure the addition of a much needed and wanted community hall. We have waited long enough – time for you to do your job for HMB residents and get it built.
Mrs. Marie Knight,
Halfmoon Bay