I’m all for sponsorship and leveraging opportunities. Our recreation centre is showing its age and needs an overhaul. I, for one, would love to see a waterpark at this location. How about you? A second sheet of ice? A pool expansion? The list is expansive and exciting! It also costs money.
That said, I was alarmed to read in a story in The Chief [What’s in a name? Dec. 6] the cavalier suggestion of a corporate sponsorship policy [that if approved, could possibly] replace the name of Brennan Park.
This has come as a sharp slap in the face to the countless volunteers in our community whose families spent hours creating the facility. Brennan Park was named for the District of Squamish’s first mayor, Pat Brennan. For a “logger” he was quite a forward thinking renaissance man who brought our community together. When he saw a need, he had no issue with personally heading to Victoria to make things happen for his constituents. Brennan Park is a testament to our recreational roots.
I believe it is a mistake to be leveraging our heritage in the absence of a heritage policy. We need a comprehensive inventory of names, places, buildings, parks, plants etcetera, now.
These items are reflective of our community’s roots, and it does a disservice to our past, present and future residents not to officially collect, document, preserve and showcase our proud heritage and assign a policy to them. We are at a tipping point in our community, and it is up to our elected officials to protect our past before there is nothing left to protect.
This is our community, and we should be the ones to dictate the terms of reference without having to sell our heritage to the highest bidder.
Bianca Peters
Squamish
