Readers of the Goldstream News Gazette have expressed their discontent for the City of Colwood’s grant application to go towards a set of stairs with a hefty price tag.
This month, the City applied for a federal grant to help cover the costs of re-building the stairs in Latoria Creek Park and said the total cost to do so would be $325,000.
READ MORE: Colwood applies for $325K to replace stairs in Latoria Creek Park
Facebook commenters took to the platform to voice their opinions on the “high” price of the stairs.
Jimmie Isacson questioned the building materials that will be used for the stairs and commented, “what are they going to build them out of? Teakwood or gold-plated steel?”
Meanwhile, other commenters such as Dawn Murphy Sheppard suggested community members “can do it for materials only,” calling the dollar amount cited by the city “obscene.”
Others compared the price of the stairs to the price of a home or condo, stating they could buy a new place to live for that amount of money.
The grant would cover 73 per cent of the cost. The remaining 27 per cent — or $87,000 — would be covered by the City. There would be zero tax increase to Colwood residents for this work.
The City said the stairs in Latoria Creek Park were closed in April 2018 when several steps collapsed, making them unsafe for use.
An assessment was done at the time and it was determined the stairs could be temporarily fixed but would need to be replaced eventually due to larger structural issues.
The grant application is based on replacing the stairs to provide the best life-cycle to cost scenario, meaning the stairs should require little investment in maintenance over a long-term period.
READ MORE: WATCH: Medieval fighters train in Colwood
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com