It would be a shame if the Village of ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake alters their plans for the Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena expansion, simply because of a local business request.

A $2.4 million funding boost has been given to our community to help build something the entire community will benefit from for generations to come.

It’s a substantial amount of money that does not have to come directly from local tax payers pockets by way of tax increases and receiving this funding allows the Village of ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake to move forward with plans that may not have come to fruition otherwise.

So when local business, Lakes Fitness Centre approached council with their concerns about the arena expansion possibly featuring a gym and fitness centre, I was hoping that the village will stick to their guns and not scrap or modify their plans.

I really don’t see much point in constructing a multi sport facility that does not include a gym and fitness centre, after all most communities with a public sports facility or even a community centre offer not only a gym and weight room, but most often other sports facilities and sometimes even a cafe.

I think that not offering local residents a gym and fitness centre in the multi sport facility expansion would certainly be an oversight.

Time and again I have heard so many local residents say that they would like to see the arena expanded into a multi sport facility, not only to benefit local residents, but also to help attract professionals like doctors to the area.

To me it seemed like a big request ... especially for local taxpayers to have to foot the bill, but with the province chipping in the majority of the funding, that dream is about to become a reality.

Either we can move forward as a community with economic development initiatives, or be left behind.

The village will eventually have to make a decision as to whether they want to privatize any facilities they will offer in the multi sport facility, or leave them open as public facilities. That decision will no doubt be made some time in the future.

As a tax payer I think it is terrific that there will be a place for locals to participate in heathy activity at a low cost.

Not to mention there is already ‘free’ community exercise equipment available at Spirit Square ... is that competition too?

It’s not a turf war .... it’s simply expanding community services in a way that many local taxpayers have been hoping would happen for many years.

All business exist in a competitive environment and compete in many ways, mostly by price, but also by location, customer service and product range.

This is the way of the business world, but to muscle out community services and public assets is not progress .. that’s a business monopoly.