More than four voted

THE letter in the July 16 edition from Jane Laws, publicity officer for Carine Masters Swimming cannot pass without comment.

According to her, there were only four people at the special electors’ meeting who voted against the motion over the pool’s location. In fact, several people spoke against the motion and, from my view at the back, there were many more than four hands raised against the motion.

Yes, most who attended the meeting supported the motion but, with a little more than 100 attendees – out of 200,000 people in the City of Stirling ” that was not exactly a whopping endorsement.

Moreover, ditto to those who signed the petition. How come they only managed 500 signatories, and how many of those would actually use the pool, or would be willing to pay for it?

I also read some of the articles in newsletters sent out by various ‘support’ groups (including schools and sporting clubs) and the false and misleading content was clearly intended to try to sway support for a pool.

As for the purported 1000 respondents to the survey, the wording was biased in that it was not independently compiled or circulated to the extent that only those in the know were invited to complete it (and only online).

In addition, its rigour was so flimsy that the same person could have completed it several times.

Since the old ‘Scarborough’ pool was decommissioned, the community’s needs and priorities have changed. It is no longer acceptable to claim ‘the loss of trees is an inevitable price for progress’ ” and it is arguable that a land, water, energy and money-guzzling pool is ‘progress’.

The problems are not confined to the location ” and not just because of the trees and the parking, traffic and safety issues. If the money was available, then it would be more logical for a more central site e.g. near Stirling train station.

Nevertheless, the overwhelming issue is cost ” and especially given that, for a tenth of the estimated cost of a 50-metre coastal pool at the golf course, we could have two (more useable and healthier) ocean pools.

I know which option I, and other struggling ratepayers and residents, would prefer.

W. SMITH, North Beach

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