Duncan - I have seen two candidates, Nick Caumanns and Heather Campbell to name a few, attempt to tell Cowichan Valley voters that the proposed new Astroturf field will cost Valley taxpayers $1 million. However, this is a completely misleading statement, since the Cowichan Valley Soccer Association is putting in $300,000 while the B.C. government grant is supplying over $830,000.
Cost to us taxpayers would be negligible. Presently, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Victoria, and the Mainland players all have the fortune of not watching their grass fields turned to mud, during the wet/rainy sports season. It is because their Astroturf fields take the brunt of the wear and tear. When the bulk of the games can be shifted onto the astroturf fields, the alternate grass fields stay healthier and can still support some of the remaining games in the wet season.Head out to the soccer fields at Somenos and Sherman Roads any Saturday morning and witness for yourself what a wonderful recreational team sport we are supporting. Our fields also support field hockey, flag football, and regular football.Bill WoollamDuncan