PoCo Minor Softball Survey

Port Coquitlam Minor Softball sent out a short survey to Candidates in the upcoming election. These surveys really force me to analyze the positions in my campaign and test my ability to communicate answers back which balance the need for services and the need to hold the line on tax increases. I am not sure if the answers to this survey will be made public or if PoCo Minor Softball will come out and endorse some candidates.  That said, I wanted to publish the questions and my answers here on my website.  As always, I would enjoy your feedback.

The questions on this survey are a single selection of Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree.

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to prevention of crime.
Agree

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to scholastic improvement.
Agree

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to health and well being both physical and mental.
Strongly Agree

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to economic benefits for the businesses of Port Coquitlam.
Agree

I feel that more work is needed in our city to create fair and balanced gender equity in regards to access to and quality of recreational services and facilities for women/girls.
Agree

In light of recent reports of cost overruns for the Coast Meridian Overpass I feel that 2009 and 2010 Parks and Recreation Capital Budgets are a top priority and should not be impacted either directly or indirectly in order to pay for those cost overruns.
Disagree

I believe in a coordinated voice between the city, organized sport/recreation groups and the School District in Port Coquitlam and that City council should have a formal direct link to that coordinated voice.
Strongly Agree

Other Comments:
Sports in our City are important to the health and overall sense of community.  I support the need to upgrade current facilities and the need to remove the financial barriers to sports / recreation participation.  This means lowering or doing away with user / registration fees and securing funds to offset this cost.  This part of my plan would most likely take five to seven years to complete but I have the will to start this process – something which has not yet been done in Port Coquitlam.

As you have pointed out, this Council has not planned for the cost over runs of the Coast Meridian Overpass and other “hits” to the City’s Capital Budgets.  It would not be prudent for me to say that all other areas in the City will be affected – but not recreation – if funds are limited.  Instead, I commit to working with the community recreation leaders to minimize impacts and to devise a revised plan in order to ensure we improve recreation and organized sports in Port Coquitlam.

I am also interested in having feedback or other suggestions from your membership so please contact me at (604) 418-9177, dave@dave.ca or visit my website www.Dave.ca.  Thank-you for the opportunity to address you and your membership.

Regards,

Dave Teixeira