Editor:
Despite what the Gateway casino opponents believe, not everyone who attended the public hearing at the Ladner Community Centre, disagrees with the project.
My husband and I attended the hearing. However, even though we are lifelong residents of B.C., we are relatively new residents of Delta, so we chose to listen to other people’s opinions, rather than to speak publicly about ours.
Thus, polite silence does not always necessarily equal total agreement with the loud majority.
After we listened politely to the Gateway presentation, and the first few speakers, we were momentarily taken aback by the reasons that some of our neighbours expressed in opposition to the casino proposed for the Delta Town & Country Inn site: 1) Delta is fine the way it is (it doesn’t need the money); 2) the (perceived) increase in crime that follows the building of a casino; and 3) the loss of a privately-operated tennis bubble.
In response to the first argument, Delta is fine (it doesn’t need the money): Really? Seriously?
I can’t think of one municipality in Metro Vancouver, whether it balances its budget or not, which cannot use more revenue in which to fund parks and recreation facilities, school board staffing, etc. Can you?
In response to the second argument, that the casino will lead to a (perceived) increase in crime: I hate to break it to you, but crime already exists here in Delta, whether it is obvious to you or not.
One cannot open the local newspaper without reading evidence of a variety of crimes in Ladner, North Delta or Tsawwassen: break and enters, drug overdoses, DUIs, murders, property crimes and sexual assaults.
These illegal activities will continue in Delta, to some degree or another, whether Delta council approved a casino or not.
In response to the third argument, regarding the loss of a privately-operated tennis bubble: only a small percentage of Delta residents currently access this facility.
According to a 28-page report available on the City of Delta website, if this indoor tennis facility is to be replaced, then it would require a considerable public financial investment by any interested parties, in the millions of dollars.
Can you say public-private partnership (PPP)?
There are three main reasons why my husband and I approve of the Gateway casino project: 1) Jobs! 2) Jobs! 3) Jobs!
In her letter to the editor, M. Cheney recently stated, “We don’t need more service/retail jobs here. Do you know that many local businesses cannot find enough staff already? Cleaning hotel rooms and restaurant jobs are not going to be a great boon to our community.”
Really? What makes Cheney an expert on the topic of local jobs?
Let me guess: 1) she is a life-long resident of Delta; 2) she is employed; 3) she is retired; 4) she is a recent lottery winner; 5) she is a million-dollar home owner; and 6) she is not unemployed (or she is unemployed by choice).
For those local people who are un/underemployed in Delta, there can always be more local jobs for which to apply, as there is always a lot of competition for them.
(Hopefully those that pay a “living wage” of $15 or more.)
Some of the reasons why many local businesses cannot find enough staff already are: 1) employers are too fussy (job applicants are either underqualified or overqualified); 2) employers discriminate (job applicants are too young or too old); and 3) employers are not willing to train new employees (they want them to already have the required knowledge, skills and abilities when they walk through the door).
Yes, this is true, even in Delta.
If you don’t agree with this assessment, then you probably haven’t conducted a job search in Metro Vancouver within the last 10 years.
Also, the disparaging comment that Cheney made about “cleaning hotel rooms and restaurant jobs are not… a great boon to our community” is a moral judgment and an insult to those hard-working people who toil daily in the service industry.
By the way, service industry workers are the majority of workers in our society, but they are obviously not respected for the hard work that they do behind the scenes.
Perhaps Cheney can take some time to reflect upon this, the next time that she sleeps in a hotel room, uses a washroom in a public building or goes out to eat in a local restaurant with her family.
The new Gateway casino will benefit Delta in a number of ways, including creating jobs for local residents.
These newly employed people will, in turn, provide services to other local residents, buy local goods and services, and pay their fair share of taxes to the government.
Finally, let’s not forget that elections and referendums are not free: they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in which to implement.
If you still don’t like the fact that Delta council approved the Gateway casino project as elected representatives of the citizens of Delta, then you can vote in the next municipal election.
And take your like-minded friends with you to the local polling station.
- Cameron
