vision2020
Re: Proposed Gym
> I believe Bob Hamilton in no way intended to exclude any child in this
> community, but perhaps he was unaware of the recreation needs of our
> youngest community members and how they differ from those of a school age
> child. One size does not fit all.
I think most people are not against the concept of a gym, but more against
the idea of spending $4 million on a facility that could easily be
constructed to serve the same purposes for $1 million or less. The extra
money is being spent for luxuries and additions that will benefit primarily
the adult population. There's no reason that this much money needs to be
spent on this facility. Especially not when the University of Idaho's new
gym is also coming online soon, and will be much more open to the public (as
was part of the agreement in building it initially).
I just don't like to see the entire Hamilton fund going to one massive
project, ignoring all the other great, low-cost programs that could really
benefit. Whatever happened to one of the best ideas I've heard yet? A
scholarship trust fund for families who cannot afford to pay the annual fees
to get their kids into any of the currently available sports programs during
the summer or winter. A small, initial fund like this could survive
indefinitely on interest and donations, and personally I feel would be far
more useful to Moscow youth than ANY other use of the Hamilton money, be it
gyms, ice rinks, or Moscow recreation offices.
- Keith Howe
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