The way I came away from the open house for the Prestige Hotel/Conference Centre proposal was as follows:

We, the taxpayer, have bought one acre of property for $915,000, between Jock’s dock and the hotel, funded in part by a grant (tx dollars) and a line in the budget, which allows us to spend the remaining balance for it with more local taxpayers dollars.

Our property will then be paved and allows us use of a public dock and 19 parking spaces for small boats and trailers. It will also be the access to the hotel for their 102 car parking lot for a 122 room hotel and a 400-person conference centre.  There will be a walking trail on our property to the water. Prestige, will give the district $200,000 to build a small boat launch and pier, which may allow for float planes to access the hotel. We haven’t been given an estimated cost for the boat launch or pier. The district will be responsible for the care, maintenance and liability insurance at an unknown cost, but, we’re not sure if the hotel takes over the pier or not. As archeological sites have not been determined, we are not sure exactly where the boat launch/pier will be situated. The intent is for the district to build out a boardwalk from the hotel to the marine boardwalk. Distance from hotel site to downtown is 2.2 km or 1 1/2 miles on the non-sidewalk road.

We are also giving Prestige Hotels $300,000 per year toward their convention center, which would allow non-profit groups to have meetings 12 times per month without charge, but is in reality at a cost of $2,000 per meeting. It doesn’t matter the size of the non-profit group, 2-100. If I were the non-profit group I would vote to give the groups the $2,000 per meeting and have the meetings elsewhere. I believe these monies equate as a mortgage helper to Prestige Hotels to assist them in aquiring financing.

The hotel, will more than likely, apply for a tax holiday on the 122 rooms. We haven’t the square footage on the hotel room space versus the commercial space, which would be taxed. There will be approximately $900,000 in fees paid for the hotel to the district.

We have some tough economic times to go through and council is willing to take the risk, with our tax dollars, to partner in one of the toughest industries — the hotel/restaurant industry. To say ball teams and hockey team players will stay at the hotel is stretching the already stretched incomes of parents. Hotels couldn’t depend on teams to fill their rooms during a once a year playoff.

The Sooke Community Association had the vision to build play fields and a community hall. They are offering the district the hall and the play fields. Many people in this community worked hard to build what we have and they are the spirit of Sooke and the reason for our strong volunteer community. Don’t sqaush their dreams and countless hours of commitment. Show them we care to build on what they have started.

If $300,000 were spent on the community hall to re-roof with a metal roof and post and beam outside the hall to offer permanent covered stalls for the country market and various outdoor events, as well as upgrading the washroom and kitchen facilites and a little imagination we would have a great venue for  conventions, weddings. etc., with a West Coast flavor and preserve part of our heritage and keep it in downtown Sooke.

As vice chair and chair for the latter part of the Official Community Plan, I listened to many comments and concerns.The comments were always about building up the downtown, not necessarly with brick and mortar, but the community. If Prestige wants to build, it should be downtown on a smaller scale built into the landscape. I believe many people would like to have a hotel, just not subsidized by tax dollars and not screaming out at us like an eyesore.

Is design important? I say yes. Downtown plans have been done two or three times over the last 20 years using paid consultants with our tax dollars.

Some more council comments were, that we have to do something and start somewhere. Well start with our downtown. Let a hotel build if they find it feasible to do so, with their own monies. Sell them the boat launch property and spend the money in Sooke. Jock’s private dock can profit more with a hotel next to it and the hotel would benefit from his business. P.S. Where would boats and seaplanes refuel? Are there plans for a refueling station?

We are citizens concerned about our future and our children’s future and do not want to leave them a legacy of debt. We want responsible and accountable government with the citizens of Sooke at heart.

In conclusion I would hope council gracefully backs out of this fiasco and show how they put the citizens and their welfare first and honour the opinions, knowledge and hearts of those who volunteer and work in our community, as well as protect the pocketbooks of those of us who elected them to act in the best interest for us the taxpayers

Ellen Lewers

Sooke