Reader takes issue on floodlights story
I am specifically addressing two issues in this article.
The first issue is that the land is owned by the Order of St. Basil The Great and the city lease expires in November 2010. Property owners do have the right to sell their land as long as legal rules are followed. This is the landowner's right.
Ward 7 (York West) Councillor Georgio Mammoliti's response of, 'nobody is going to take the community hostage, not even priests,' appalled me.
We do not live in a fiefdom but in a democracy.
I do commend him in regards to him wanting the city to buy the site to be used for children.
Unfortunately, Toronto does not have any money.
The second issue is the councillor's response of 'the lights would be on a timer, with smaller lights shutting off at 9 p.m. and larger ones at 9:30 p.m.' This means the city is paying for large floodlight usage for one half of an hour on children's soccer fields. Smaller lights on before 9 p.m. would be for a limited time frame.
If this is taxpayers' money, it's a waste.
Therefore, I deduce that there would be no semi-pro soccer teams on the field after 9:30 p.m. and that is an insult to my intelligence if I believed this.
Edith George
