If you can’t beat em... Beat em!

District 15... does not have a Build-it-Right candidate.
District 16... crazy Francis tells one of his employees to run.
District 10... Is Nancy going to give up her busines to be a full time councillor??
Not much for a field of candidates. So I guess it means the residents are happy with the $40 million in facilities coming to the comunity. Time for Build-it-Right to be put to bed before they have another tantraum.

RIP BIT

-tibirs

Forget about spending. Recreation spending is less than 5% of our municipal tax dollar. Our system is broken because of the lines that separate government responsibilities. Recreation is a municipal responsibility and healthcare is a provincial responsibility. Recreation spending is a form of preventative healthcare but HRM council doesn't care about investing in recreation to save the province healthcare dollars down the road.

We need new councillors who can see the big picture. I went to several meeting in the past about recreation centres and the councillors didn't seem interested in listening to what their constituents had to say.

-Rob A.

Seriously, how can I vote for a candidate whose platform/history is based on spending more money for something that would end up raising the taxes that I pay? We needed the pool for the games but not the "super sized" one. If I am paying for a pool (read paying the taxes on the pool), I want one that keeps me from starving, not one that makes me fat. Don't "super-size" me.

The relationship is quite simple. If the community had instead accepted the unsatisfactory options that were presented, the games funding would not have come. Halifax may not have even bid for it.

Build it Right's original position was that the 50m Commonweath Games pool should be built at the Mainland Common. When Fred MacGillivray told us the Commonwealth pool would be in Shannon Park we changed our vision to state that only a 25m pool was needed. With the collapse of the Commonweath Games, the need for a 50m pool was re-incorporated into our vision. We have always been open to alternative locations for such a facility, it just so happens that many consultant reports have identified the mainland common as the ideal location.

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say "I'm with VS". Thanks for your input though. We certainly see your viewpoint and respectfully disagree.

Fiction: Build-it-right rejecting the HRM initial development which some how got them a $40 million facility.

Fact: It was Funding for 2011 Canada Winter Games that got the $40 million.

Fiction: "Build it Right ... new facility should be a regional facility to be used by all of HRM and even Nova Scotia. The location doesn't matter. We would have been just as happy with the same caliber facility if it were located in Shannon Park or Truro."

Fact: The rhetoric on this website proves that Build-it-Right does not consider the needs of other communities as important

Berwick's Apple Dome project gets $2-million from Premier

Premier John Hamm announces $1.5 million for Sydney YMCA

I'm with VS... Built-it-Right is a joke

-tibers

The facts are the facts.

FACT: HRM presented plans to build a $5-million leisure pool in June 2005 that was rejected by the community.

FACT: HRM presented 3 facility options in October 2005, 1) renovate Northcliffe ($8-million), 2) build a new $8-million pool with 4 x 25m lanes, or 3) build a $16-million rec centre.

FACT: The completion dates for the first two options fell in 2007, the third was in 2009.

FACT: HRM told the community that if they choose the 3rd option ($16-million), they would need to raise $8-million of it on their own.

FACT: All 3 options were rejected by the community.

FACT: Members of Build it Right are from all areas of metro Halifax. This includes the members of our steering committee who live in Dartmouth, the peninsula, and Beechville.

If the community (through Build it Right) was not vocal against the inadequate options presented, construction on whatever option HRM wanted to pursue would have either been completed or would be well underway today. So I believe Build it Right can take credit for getting us to where we are today. We urged our councillors to do better.

Build it Right has always maintained that the new facility should be a regional facility to be used by all of HRM and even Nova Scotia. The location doesn't matter. We would have been just as happy with the same caliber facility if it were located in Shannon Park or Truro. The population of Halifax West and the lack of facilities in that area is a strong argument in support of the location though.

On the note of expanding our boundaries, if you are not satisfied with the progress of the Rocky Lake community group, I would urge you to join the Build it Right movement. I am extending an open invitation to you to make use of our network and website to advocate for better recreation facilities in Bedford. If you are interested in taking us up on it please send us your contact information through our contact form.

Craig, I believe the Build-it-Right ego has got the best the group. Your note implies that it was the groups pushing that got the $40 million facility. I would think it was the Canada Games group that help secure the larger funds. Perhaps if Truro had received the nod to host the games they would have had the extra funding.

Bedford does have a community group trying to build a rec facility(Rocky Lake Group). I think they have been around for about 8 years. Unfortunately, they are controlled by a few people with narrow vision. Sort the same thing that has happened with the BIR group. The RLG has turned the sod on the facility about 4 times with nothing ever being built. So guarantees are kind of meaningless now.

May I suggest... if you want your group to be taken seriously by others... expand your boundaries beyond the Lacewood and Dunback area. We all need to look at recreation facilities as enhancing the lives of all citizens of HRM not just a select few.

That's the way to Build-it-Right

-tibirs

You Build it "Right" people are a complete joke. Seriously, everyone is laughing at you behind your backs.

Ever consider that you have been "ignored and ridiculed" by your councillors because your ideas are foolish and harmful to the community?

The pool you recommend is more expensive, and not needed for a community the size of ours.

In my opinion for a more realistic requirement of ideal candidates see below:

The ideal candidates will:
- Have nothing better to do with their time than complain
about good improvements in our community.
- Not have a brain of efficient reasoning ability, we
need to be able to control you.
- Demonstrate an ability to see the extreme short term,
while we encourage a bigger pool and take on even
higher taxes in an economy struggling with recession.

If you want to make Halifax a world class city, you don't go into a large amount of debt for facilities you can't afford and don't need.

Crazy idea, maybe if you put your efforts into something worthwhile, like encouraging business, solving traffic problems, reducing the debt, Halifax might just become what you dream and be able to afford luxuries such as a world class pool, and it is a luxury.

We've actually started to see some good change and improvements with our current councillor's. So stop whining like a little child on a temper tantrum that didn't get what she wanted, grow up, and do something that isn't completely counterproductive.

In 2005, our Councillors would have been happy to build nothing more than a tiny leisure pool which included uni-sex change rooms. The cost, only $5-million.

(see http://build-it-right.ca/history-june05)

Were it not for members of the community opposing such a preposterous plan (and subsequent others), an under-sized facility would have already been built and our community would have been left with a giant mistake for the next 30+ years.

Our Councillors (Walker, Hum and Wile) had approval from regional council to build a $5-million and then later a $14.5-million facility. They even entered into a contractual arrangement with the YMCA to pass off responsibility for building an underwhelming facility.

Why didn't they proceed? It's clear Walker, Hum and Wile realized that the community did not support their inadequate plans. Over the past 3 years we have tried very hard to reach out to work in harmony with our Councillors. Much to our disappointment they have resisted us and disrespected us every step of the way.

While the Build it Right group is extremely pleased with the progress that has been made, there is still more to accomplish. The issue at hand is straightforward. When it comes to building large-scale facilities, the opportunity comes around once in a generation. Once that opportunity passes, it doesn't come around again for a very long time. This makes it especially important to build it right the first time. Not including arenas or a 50m pool this time around means our community will likely not realize a similar opportunity in the next 30+ years.

If you feel strongly that Bedford should receive better funding to build proper recreation facilities, I would encourage you to join the Build it Right movement and send a message to your elected representatives that you want more.

I can tell you from experience it definitely worked for us. I can also guarantee it would get you more than 1/100 of $40-million.

Craig sounds like a spoiled child.

Time for Build it Right to disband! I'm sure the original crew that started the process back in 2001 would never have been able to imagine the first class facility they would get.I say bravo to them and local Councillors(past and present).As for the group running BIR now... while what can I say. Most HRM residents are in shock at their arrogance and the demands. Now they want 50m pools and rinks as addons. Tomorrow they're going to want runways to land their G5s. It's time for BIR to go... it's time has past.

As a resident of Bedford, I only wish we could get 1/100 of that kind of monies for facilities here. But hey what's good for one part of HRM is also going to be good for all of HRM.

-tibirs

Thank goodness our elected officials are looking out for the majority! How is it in our best interest to pay for a pool that we don't need? It is people , like me, living this this district, who are going to have to foot the bill for a $10 million pool if they choose to build it. Or is your committee going to come up with the money? Stop being part of the problem and start helping find a solution!

I would expect nothing less than for an elected representative to stand up for their community even if it meant kicking and screaming. Much to my disappointment, Hum, Walker and Wile did the opposite and fought with their constituents over this issue.

I think one thing was left out of the list of requirements for the ideal candidate:
* Must be able to kick and scream when things are not the way they would like.

- tibirs