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Why is the CVRD ignorning its own expert’s report?

Alternative solutions offered to Saltair Community Centre repairs don’t make any sense
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Lynne Smith speaks at the Saltair News & Views meeting about the Saltair Community Centre.

It is at least disturbing to learn the Cowichan Valley Regional District and our Area G Director are ignoring the expert reports that recently cost Saltair $16,000 to obtain.

McCuaig & Associates Engineering clearly said it would cost $1.6 million or $1.7 million to keep the old Mount Brenton School building running over the next five years and that a 10-year, phased approach would cost $3 million plus.

Instead of replacing the entire roof as the expert recommended, Dorey says we can replace only one-fourth for $130,000 plus.

Instead of replacing the exterior wall claddings, which the expert said were in poor condition and “have exhausted their expected service life”, Dorey says we can paint.

Instead of replacing the windows which the expert said “have far exceeded their expected service life”, Dorey says we don’t need new windows.

Why did we pay $16,000 for an expert report if it was going to be ignored? Why hire an expert if the CVRD and Dorey already knew the answers?

More than a little, this strikes me as receiving a medical diagnosis and ignoring the treatment because you don’t like the diagnosis.

Lynne Smith

Saltair