To the Editor,
I do not support the idea of putting up a basketball court along Lakeshore Drive [in Bonnyville] for the following reasons:
1. I really like the idea of Lakeshore Drive to start with. I felt that the purpose of Lakeshore Drive was to develop walking trails and maintain a green space so the citizens of Bonnyville and any visitors could enjoy a leisurely walk and be as close to nature as possible. The concept of a basketball court does not fit into this concept.
2. You are replacing a green space with a concrete pad that will occupy 3,528 square feet. The development does not stop there. You need a border around the pad and a cage (fence) around the whole court.
3. The cage will be required to protect players who chase stray balls, to protect vehicle traffic that passes so close to the court, to protect people on the walking trails, and to prevent stray balls from entering the lake.
4. There will be a considerable cost associated with the construction of the facility and there will be a continuing cost associated with the maintenance, repairing the pad, maintaining the fence and gate, removing the debris that will accumulate around the fence, etc.
5. The court will obstruct the view of the lake not only to the residents along Lakeshore Drive, but also vehicle traffic.
6. And finally, I question the need for the court. Have you noticed an overcrowding of existing basketball courts? Are existing courts even being utilized to their full potential? Have the youth of Bonnyville shifted away from soccer and baseball in the spring, summer and early fall? Has a survey been done to see how many people use this facility?
Connie Kowalski,
Bonnyville
