Diving instructor awaits civic centre - Jun. 30, 2010
BY VERN FAULKNER
editor@stcroixcourier.ca
ST. STEPHEN — The space provided was large, but few people braved a rainy Thursday evening to participate in a public meeting on the future of the Garcelon Civic Center.
Held at the St. Stephen Legion hall, the discussions that took place Thursday held an intimate tone as Richard Fulton, the chair of the Charlotte County Civic Centre board of directors, offered updates and showed conceptual drawings of the proposed facility to the participants.
Malcolm Sprague was certainly interested in the proceedings.
Sprague, a St. Andrews resident who teaches scuba diving courses, has in recent years used the pool in Woodstock.
“It’s 13 feet deep (there),” he said, asking if depths for the yet-designed pool had been finalized.
Sprague explained that the facility in Woodstock generates considerable patronage through the scuba courses.
“They have a room, and we’ll leave our gear,” he said, asking if similar options would be made available when the local facility is complete.
Sprague said that he, for one, is excited at the potential the swimming facilities at the recreation centre, for it will allow him to reach local clients – and in turn, offer Charlotte County residents a chance to learn to dive without leaving the county.
“Not having to drive to Woodstock, Saint John … I’m just happy to see it coming to fruition,” he said.
Sprague’s interest, said Fulton, underscores the need for the final design of the centre to be flexible.
“The civic centre needs to be something that serves multiple needs,” said Fulton.
The drawings shown Thursday were not, in any way, a final design, Fulton stressed. Once land has formally been assumed by the Town of St. Stephen— expected soon, Fulton said, — a bidding process will take place, after which, the successful firm will be asked to create a final set of drawings based on direction from the town and the civic centre board of directors.
That, he stressed, was the importance of public input at this time.
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