Dear Editor,
We are aware that the upcoming referendum regarding the enhancement of the Castlegar & District Community Complex has been a source of contention within our community. There are strong feelings on both sides. The financial part of the equation has been eloquently debated in these pages already.
However, as your doctors and your fellow community members, we felt strongly that we needed to openly declare our support for this project. In our opinion, the enhancement of the Complex is a great asset to our community. While it comes with some cost, so do most things of value. And in this case, we feel the costs are well worth the benefits.
The three points that we wish to raise are:
1. Exercise is one of the single most important things that an individual can do to maintain health. It is of crucial importance for mental and physical wellness. By providing a bright, new, modern indoor space that encourages activity and exercise for everyone, from the very young to the very old, we are building a healthier community.
2. Good facilities attract people. We have been working hard on recruiting new doctors to the community. Many of these doctors have young families and are looking for a community that has recreational facilities. An enhanced facility improves our chances of successfully recruiting and retaining doctors to look after our population.
3. Social contact matters. People need a place to gather in Castlegar. The social hub of the enhanced Complex will provide a space for “hanging out” for both our youth and our seniors. The importance of this cannot be overstated. We are all aware of the mental health crisis. One of the most important ways to fight this is with face to face social contact. By providing a space for this to happen we strengthen our community.
Whether you plan to use the facility yourself or not, you do have something to gain if we have a growing community, a strong tax base and a sufficient number of doctors to look after our population.
On referendum day, the doctors of Castlegar ask you to vote “yes”.
Sincerely,
Dr. Megan Taylor, Dr. Rainer Ankenbauer, Dr. Chris Lyttle, Dr. Meghan Jensen, Dr. Ellen Smart, Dr. Dave Larocque, Dr. Lisa Vasil, Dr. Denis Thibodeau, Dr. Keith Merritt, Dr. Bbandama Makwati, Dr. Babatunde Sonuga