Dear Editor,
With great interest, I just finished reading a very well detailed article / report in The Agassiz-Harrison Observer about how approval had been granted by The District of Kent Council to nine applicants for Grants-In-Aid, and denied to two others.
As sad as this first appeared, a glimmer of hope came in a report from our Financial Director Judy Lewis, who indicated that a contingency sum of of $2,790 had been set aside, which could more than cover these two other applications.
Truly believing that common sense would prevail here, I carried on reading, only to discover that two of our more recent additions to council voted against such an obvious compromise.
Now that I’ve had enough time to digest this outcome, please allow me say that I am very disappointed.
The Harrison Highlanders Pipe Band is a dedicated group of ambassadors for our community, and they can be seen promoting our area at so many events throughout the Fraser Valley and beyond.
We’ve all watched them parade in extreme wind, rain, and snow at The Remembrance Day Service, Canada Day Festivities, Agricultural Fair Parade, and various inaugural ceremonies for incoming District, Village, or Municipal Councils.
I've also been present at various church services where they’ve helped grieving families and friends deal with the loss of a loved one, by piping during or after the service.
To say that they are an integral part of our community would be an understatement.
To not acknowledge this, by a simple and very modest tweak of the budget, is a total disregard for all of those involved, and could well bring into question the managerial skills of those who voted in such a negative way.
The swim club is also a vital focus of health and activity in our community, and they should be supported at all cost.
They should be encouraged to flourish, and hopefully be a major user of our new pool, when it gets built.
A strong swim club can help build that far off dream.
My dream would be to keep growing our community in these directions, not discourage them.
I’m absolutely sure that many of our previous council members would have voted this small additional cost through, in a heartbeat.
Albert Richard Hooper
Agassiz. BC.