Recreation Passes for the Region
Recently eleven (11), not 13, municipalities have agreed to continue with a region wide recreation pass. This will allow someone to buy one pass usable in all our rec centres. Frank Leonard was quotes as saying that people look for opportunities and do not see a municipal border. Dean Fortin was noted as saying it recognizes that municipalities do work as a region.
It is hard to believe this took so long for the municipalities to realize that people do not see them as separate. It is sad that two municipalities are not involved. It is also clear that this issue had to take time from eleven different departments, to consider if they would participate, see if there was a benefit to them, decide how to share the revenue etc.
It may be considered that rec centres are a simple and identifiable service that, given this co-operation, do not reflect a need for amalgamation. However, rec centres are simply the easily observable service and the fact is that all the city services are similar in their scope. The need for amalgamation is reflected in the practicality of having a region wide pass.
We should all have a region wide pass for all municipal issues, to allow us to pay one tax, access one source of services and be managed by one set of politicians.
1 comment:
You mention only 11 municipalities participate and suggest some are missing out. Below is a list of the participants.
District of Saanich
Township of Esquimalt
Municipality of Oak Bay
City of Victoria
Peninsula Recreation Commission Westshore Parks and Recreation
Sea Parc Recreation YMCA – YWCA of Greater Victoria
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt
I am not aware of any other recreational opportunities in our region---are you.
Congrats to the local governments for exhibiting positive leadership in this area.
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