Editor:
I was wrong.
Last year, I was a member of the board of TennisDelta.org, a group of more than 900 enthusiastic tennis players who were very concerned by the removal of the only four indoor tennis courts in Delta.
TennisDelta.org was advocating for the replacement of the Delta Town & Country Inn indoor courts and asking the City of Delta to negotiate a community amenity to help fund a new facility.
Despite a petition signed by more than 900 individuals, and despite our numerous explanations before and during the public hearing, Delta ignored us.
The four Delta council members -- Lois Jackson, Sylvia Bishop, Bruce McDonald and Robert Campbell – who voted in favour of the casino explained it would bring money, jobs and entertainment to Delta. We heard that if Delta rejected the casino, it would be built on Tsawwassen First Nation land nearby, and Delta would get all the “negatives” that are potentially attached to a casino but not the money.
During the public hearing, we heard a lot about money laundering. We heard about Peter German’s report, with some local speakers asking council to postpone a decision until German’s report was made public.
Four Delta officials decided to look the other way, like most officials in B.C. did for years. They ignored it or responded that the RCMP was in charge of the problem.
Maybe our new mayor will be different. Maybe he will not accept the unacceptable and reverse the decision.
So why was I wrong? I wasn’t wrong asking for the replacement of indoor tennis courts or participating in TennisDelta.org. Indoor tennis is a necessity in Delta. We should have 10 indoor courts based on the population. We cannot wait five or seven years to get replacement indoor courts.
No, I was wrong because I was asking for money through a community amenity, money that would have come indirectly from drug money. That would not have been right.
Our new mayor has proposed, in his inaugural speech, to create 28 pickle ball courts in Delta, all outdoor. There was not a single word about indoor tennis. This is the response of our past and new elected officials in Delta: a casino that will bring drug money and pickle ball courts.
Jean-Jacques Arignon
