I have talked to a number of residents
that are extremely grateful and pleased with the City’s Affordable Bus Pass
program. Given its success, I support piloting a similar program for recreation
and cultural events. If it results in children using municipal recreation
facilities that weren’t at all before due to cost, then it’s a win-win. I would
also like to see more partnerships with the private sector; the free Tim
Hortons swims, for example, are extremely popular. It warms my heart to see the
Lyons and VRRC pools filled with laughing children during those sponsored swims.
An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure. From a moral standpoint we ought to, as a society, work towards
improving the lives of disadvantaged families and children. Furthermore, every
time we invest in the well-being of a disadvantaged child, we are saving
societal costs down the road in the form of law enforcement, unemployment, and
health care.
