Make Dufferin Park citys tennis hub

At a recent Dufferin Park Master Plan meeting, Brantfords parks- recreation department presented a development proposal that transforms what has been a hub for tennis for 110 years into just another park, which happens to include some tennis courts. There is no provision for a clubhouse to replace the existing one.

I am certain parks-recreation is not deliberately trying to kill organized tennis in Brantford especially now when Canada is doing so well. But that is the effect of its decisions. A basic clubhouse could become the epicentre of a vibrant tennis community, which would permit the city to compete with surrounding municipalities. Without a clubhouse, it will be difficult for the volunteer Dufferin Tennis Club to continue its good work to promote tennis by organizing regular events, facilitating lessons for juniors and adults and advocating for a sport that is accessible to everyone even those who cant afford hockey equipment or golf memberships.

We heard at the meeting that the city is unwilling to determine how much a basic clubhouse would cost and that there would be no repairs to lights, which are essential for tennis to continue while we await a decision on redevelopment.

We wanted to hear that the city is willing to work with the clubs volunteers to develop a plan that is financially feasible and will ensure the future of tennis in Brantford.

We wanted a commitment to support and promote tennis in Brantford and some assurance that the existing courts including the lights will be maintained so that we can continue playing.

Mississauga gave Bianca Andreescu the keys to the city. Brantford parks-recreation wants to shove us out and is not only going to lock the door behind us but tear down everything the Dufferin Tennis Club has built in the last 110 years.

Caroline FreibauerBrantford

Canada enjoyed huge respect for about 20 years after our contribution to winning the Second World War, building the St Lawrence Seaway, Pearson negotiating an end to the Suez crisis, staging Expo 67 and so on.

Then Trudeau senior took over and ran up our debt and deficit numbers to previously unheard of levels, gave the finger to the U.S. (which has de facto replaced U.K. as our military protector), and openly admired Mao Zedong (who killed more people than Hitler and Stalin combined].

We had an all-too-brief place in the Reagan-Thatcher sun, began to pay our way with Mulroney and Chretien, and came through the 2008 financial crisis well under Harper.

Then we elected the silver spoon drama teacher on the strength of his family name and a commitment to legalize marijuana. We now have zero credibility in foreign policy, marijuana is being sold illegally (as before) but we are setting up bureaucracies from coast to coast to control its sale, we dont contribute our share in NATO, we continue to bribe Quebec to stay in Confederation with $13 billion a year (imagine how Quebec would fare negotiating a free trade deal in Trumps Washington) and we are busily shutting down domestic and foreign investment.

As Nietzsche said:Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.

I thought the Canada I visited in 1967 and emigrated to the following year was pretty amazing and it has been good to me. But I doubt anyone could start with next to nothing today and thrive in our over-regulated, over-indebted economy.

Socially, we seem to stand for brainless intolerance in our universities and immigration open to all but especially to people who dont really want a Canadian way of life. Instead of performing timely joint replacements on people who have worked a lifetime and contributed to OHIP, we worry about opioid abusers. Instead of educating our children with marketable skills in a disciplined environment, we load them with entitlement and debt. Instead of maintaining law and order, we practise catch-and-release justice. Wow.

John Purkiss

St. George

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Letters to the editor - Brantford Expositor