To the editor:
Re: “Park board story needs correcting,” Dec. 11.
Since Niki Sharma made two corrections in her letter, I feel that I must now make two corrections in mine.
1. 82,000 Vancouver residents did not embrace the OneCard. We were not given a choice. Previously, a resident could sign up for a community centre membership (eg. I live in Mount Pleasant, and would like to sign up for a Mount Pleasant Community Centre Membership.) Now, if I use the centre –I will be given the OneCard. I will not have a choice of a membership card or the OneCard. That is hardly embracing the OneCard. It is being forced to use the OneCard.
2. To my knowledge, the community centre associations were ordered to use the OneCard. They were not given a choice. There was no negotiation. That is why some of them decided to litigate.
She is correct in saying that all this upset is a waste of resources. However, the blame must be laid at the feet of the Vision members of the Park board — not the community centre associations. Vision park board members wish to fix something that isn’t broken. All of the community centres were completed in the ’50s and ‘60s, and have thrived and been loved by the neighbourhoods in which they serve.
They managed quite nicely all these years without the OneCard.
Instead of inventing all these annoying changes, why not concentrate on keeping recreation available and affordable? I have just noted all the fee increases for 2014 as noted in the 2013-2014 Fees and Charges Changes report that went before the board in November.
Jean Campbell,
Vancouver
