The City of Prince George is taking to the web to inform the public about an upcoming referendum.
“We’re really going to be using on the City’s website as a hub for information so I really, really encourage residents to visit princegeorge.ca/referendum,” says Mike Kellett, Senior Communications Officer for the City.
Earlier this year, Council voted to hold a referendum about borrowing money to replace two facilities: Fire Hall #1 and the Four Seasons Leisure Pool.
The actual date for the referendum has yet to be set but Kellett anticipates it will take place late in October.
Today, the City launched an online information campaign, complete with videos. Kellett says the idea is to give citizens time to understand the issues at stake.
For instance, he says Fire Hall #1, in need of upgrades after 60 years of service, also needs to be moved to a better location.
“It really should be in a different location in order to maximize the ability of firefighters from the facility to serve the public. We wanted to get something out before everyone went off on vacation for summer, just to give them something to think about.”
The Four Seasons pool was assessed as in need of replacement last year.
“[It]l is almost 50 years old and has served Prince George very, very well over the years. 80% of the swimming lessons in Prince George are done at the Four Seasons [but] structurally, it has some serious, serious problems, particularly involving the roof.”
The estimated cost for the pool’s replacement is $35 million while replacing the fire hall could cost $15 million.
The referendum page includes details about the details of the facilities as well as where the money will be borrowed from and what will happen if the referendum fails.