A few days ago, I introduced a new segment to my blog called “Our Collingwood”, in which I do a Q&A with various Collingwood personalities.
In yet another new segment called “Lies, Buys & FOI’s”, I will show you a particular issue, and what the resulting FOI’s, emails, research has uncovered. I am going to try to leave my opinions out of this segment, and let the reader come to their own conclusions as to what, if anything, my findings have uncovered.
The inaugural edition of this segment, will look at the cost of the upgrades being done at the Centennial pool, at Heritage park.
On November 5, 2012, the Collingwood Clippers Swim Club made a deputation to Council
From Staff report PRC2013-07
“The Clipper presentation also informed Council of a donation that is being offered to the Club from a source who wished to remain anonymous. The commitment of this donation is contingent upon the Town implementing enhanced upgrades to the existing 25 metre pool.”
On February 11, 2013, council voted 8-0 (Hull absent) to receive Staff report PRC2013-07, and spend $583,000.00 on the pool upgrades.
The report breaks down the costs as:
$150,000 from the anonymous donation
$28,000 from the Clippers Swim Team
$405,000 from the Town of Collingwood
The next day, the Enterprise Bulletin story confirmed those figures.
I wanted to make sure that the figures coming from the Clipper’s and the anonymous donor were confirmed, and not going to come out of the taxpayer’s pocket.
On April 24th, I filed and FOI to confirm that this would not happen.
Item 1 – Any details of the anonymous donor fund, even a simple guarantee in writing
Item 2 – Any agreement confirming the commitment of Clipper funds to the pool.
On May 24th, I got these answers.
Item 1 – $150,000 donation
Item 2 – Clippers $28,000 donation
I take it this means that one month wasn’t enough time for the Clippers to show how they were paying the $28,000, so I need to wait another month for my answer.
The fact that the town went ahead and spent this $178K with no guarantee that the two donors would pay what they committed to confused me, so I went to the source. I emailed Mayor Cooper on May 15th and asked her,
“How could you vote to spend $580K of taxpayer money, based on the promise of $179K from the Clippers and their anonymous donor, without asking for a guarantee of the funds?“
It is now May 27th, and I have not heard back from our Mayor. Tell me what you think.
Cheers
Steve
Now on Linkedin
enough is enough 
I think the deal was struck even before the Clippers got involved, in fact, I was told last June that the pool would work hand in hand with the new fire station and that they were going to use each others facilities, the fire station wanted use of the pool in return they were willing to let town employees use their new work out room. I called the YMCA and confirmed that they accommodate the fire men and women in the Y pool when they do their water training. That said, you tell me why the town won't even consider using the PRA dome which was offered to them?
I wish I could answer that question.