Deep River -Musings

                                                                                             April 24, 2003

Lease for Community Center

 
I am concerned when Deep River Council starts talking about a new Community Center. This seems to me  a red herring to the real issue. There is a petition (signed by some 750 good citizens of Deep River) exhorting the Council to reverse its decision to renew Community Center Building lease only for 2 years at its present address instead of a longer lease so that the Community Center can confidently invest for its long-term activities.
 
Deep River Council talks about Town’s Official Plan. I would be leery of Town’s Official Plan if it is similar to plan when they went and bought Keys Center at great cost to the Town.
 
The Council, it seems, is now recommending a ”compromise” to renew the lease on the Community Center for two years and undertaking to “extend lease on a year-to-year basis to 2008 provided that the building remains structurally sound and tenant wishes to continue the current usage of the building”.
 
Let us examine this!
 
Renewal to year 2008 effectively gives lease for 5 years (2008 minus 2003). Council oozes if “tenant wishes to continue”. Well, tenant has already let it be known it wants long lease. Council shows such “hypocrisy of care” that they will not lease building unless it is “structurally sound”. Well, do you think any sound-minded person or organization would for a minute occupy a building, which is not structurally sound.
 
What Council is saying with this so-called ‘compromise” resolution is that they want the Community people to come every year and beg for renewal; which the Council will not refuge. Yikes!
 
I do wish my honoured friends in the Council would, in their good wisdom, grant the lease for 5 or more years as requested to the Community Group without prolonging this debate.
 
Deep River is fortunate that there are many community minded people in this small community who are devoting their time, effort and money for multiple good causes to enhance citizens lives without any prejudice and favours.