Bad Decisions made by a Few

As I did yesterday, I feel the need to qualify this rant. Here it is. I generally am supportive of funding for arts, culture, and sports. This being said the following is a daily reminder for me of what happens when a few make decisions for many.

Think about it...this is the best it will ever look. The thing looks like it is still under construction. It will only get worn weathered and dirty from this day on. A roof for a stadium in a city that doesn't need a 50k seat stadium. To think our neighbours to the south built a stadium (CenturyLink Field in Seattle) bigger and better for $450M. Yes, the whole stadium, not just the roof and some Stacey Travis designed seats. What a colossal waste of taxpayer funds. Shame on you David Podmore and the BC Pavilion Corporation. Shame on you Gordon Campbell for allowing it to happen. A $500+M monstrosity of a roof.

The thing that amazes me is that it was done with no debate...just a 1/2 billion dollar announcement or pronouncement. No debate, no discussion, no riots, no pickets...just apathy. All this at a time when a private individual offer $200M of his own money to build a waterfront soccer stadium. Effectively, all the levels of government said no thanks to the $200M investment in public facilities and instead decided to spend over $500M of their own on the roof for BC Place. That's a swing that exceeds $700M!!!!

A decision made by a few that will haunt Vancouverites and British Columbians for decades.

Ridiculous.