I had some hope for the "new" council when it was elected last fall. All except the mayor, who’s likely the most despised person in Paradise. Not calling for a re-election when the vote ended in a tie only added to the resentment residents have for him. Yes, he followed the rules but seriously, why not have another vote if there was no clear-cut winner? The answer is fairly obvious.
For well over twenty years Paradise has been promised a new arena, and for well over twenty years people have been waiting. But with Saturday’s fire that levelled a home in town, there is bound to be talk of building our own fire hall. And rightly so.
There are, and have been, petitions circulating in town and on-line for the provincial government to step up and contribute money for a new arena. No such petition or plans exist for a fire hall and it has quietly slipped under the radar.
Land has been set aside for an arena and the town says it will put up one-third of the money. But that funding is primarily monies the government gives the town – like all other towns in the province – for operating costs.
On Saturday a fire destroyed a home in the town, a house that was situated further in Topsail Road - among thousands of other homes - and the response time by the Mt. Pearl and CBS fire stations was not good. The house was completely destroyed and thankfully there were no injuries. This time. It’s not a matter of if someone will get hurt; it’s a question of when. The fire hall should be the council’s top priority. But it appears they hoped it would go away.
Before the election last fall I emailed councillors and asked what their bigger priority was – an arena or a fire hall. Councillors Willis, Quilty, and Mayor Wiseman did not bother to respond. I actually spoke to Quilty, who blamed the entire mess on former mayor and now Municipal Affairs Minister Diane Whelan. What a cop out. Quilty also said her three email addresses were not working. I kid you not.
Only councillors Bobbett and English responded. (I should mention that former councillor Fred Thornhill also responded). I plan to email the two new councillors – Vince Burton and Elizabeth Laurie and get their views.
The town’s website has a link to its plans and petition for an arena, but no such link or plan exists for a fire hall. There is no mention of a fire hall in the town’s five-year plan. And oddly enough, we have $500,000 for improvements to the town hall and a clock tower (you can’t make this stuff up) but no money is set aside for a fire station.
Perhaps, it’s time for them to get their priorities in order. Otherwise, we have to show them the door.
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