Discussions

The Sportsplex was built way back when for the Canada Summer Games.  
 
It quickly became popular as it was a State of the Art facility in it's day.  
 
As a former 1960's and 70's YMCA rat, yet raising my own kids to enjoy both the Sportsplex and the Y, my thoughts are as such:  
 
The YMCA has been in place for SO long, yet they have maintained their facilities through the years. Heck, my Grandfather in 1923 stayed and athletically played at the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association). It's been there forever and the pool has always been a mainstay. They maintained the facility and as far as I know have rarely been in the red.  
 
The Sportsplex, as a City maintained facility that seems to have been built yesterday (because I am the standard ebrandon Dinosaur) is falling apart and not making money? Makes you wonder why.  
 
Where were the City people who were running the Plex and how come they were not on top on losing money?  
Why has there been little maintenance on the Sportsplex? Now, the building is past it's expiry date? Give me a break. Very poor planning.  
 
 
How can the YMCA, that has been there forever, been able to sustain membership with a maintained pool that has been there since dirt in the dinosaur age and people are very happy with it, yet the Plex has become a money-losing eyesore and is only 30 years old? Maybe maintenance? City coffers?  
 
I want Brandon to have 2 pools. I like the Sportsplex and I like the Y. Our family have enjoyed both.  
 
If we have one more empty ghost building (Sportsplex) with planning and accountability gone wrong through poor City planning, I just wring my hands with frustration.  
 
Another thing? When I was a kid Brandon was all south Brandon and the North Hill was not fully developed as it is now. Now it is and this City is becoming North and South. The population is strong now in the North end of the City.  
 
Just because the City has been lax in maintaining the Sportsplex does not mean it should become a ghost building and that North Hill residents cannot enjoy a recreation complex. Don't let the City bully you into thinking it was losing money. It was losing money because the City put the Sportsplex on low priority.  
 
I am sick and tired of perfectly good buildings that are abandoned because they have outlived their usefulness. I guess 30 years is just too much, but everywhere else in the world, those buildings are cherised and restored after a hundred years.