I am writing in regards to an article by Val Rossi titled “Teck agrees to pay fines from spills”.
I was delighted when vice president of corporate affairs Marcia Smith states that it is important that the money stays in the local community. What I have a problem with is where the money actual is going.
I believe it is time the City of Trail, started looking out for itself. The local community to me is where the infraction took place and the place that has to live with the fallout from these incidents.
What Ms. Smith needs to understand is when these incidents happen it is Trail’s image as well as Teck’s that is damaged, so I believe the moneys paid stay in the local community and that community is Trail and Trail should decide where the money goes.
Trail has done a lot to try to improve the city’s image, the statues, the murals, the work of Communities in Bloom, the piazza on Rossland Ave.
There is more to do and I believe that is where this money should go, not to Bear Aware, not to the LeRoi Community Foundation and not the Environmental Damages Fund.
I have nothing against these groups and I believe Bear Aware and the LeRoi Community Foundation do very good work, however they are not focused on Trail, they work with all the communities in our area. I have no idea what the Environmental Damages Fund is and what they do.
There is a group trying to cover the unsightly site where the service stations were, I am sure they could use money for that and I am sure the City of Trail could find projects to improve the look of the city and our image.
Rick Georgetti
Trail