‘Peary suggested that talk about the city covering team costs may be fuelled by “those who don’t want this to succeed,”’

How about citizens who watched the city ignore questions raised about parking and road access vis-à-vis the location the city insisted on building the arena on from the start? Now suddenly the City discovers the need for parking and road/access improvements?

Or citizens left shaking their heads at the suggestion that because it is summer parking will be available at UFV so the city has until September to find a solution. UFV is a University with a heavy schedule of summer classes.

Or the citizens who have watched the cost of a project they were promised was guaranteed not to go over $55 million balloon to $90 million and still climbing.

How about the citizens who were given incorrect information, given incomplete information, were denied information, given promises and assurances that have turned out to be false?

I think any reasonable observer can well understand why citizens lack faith in the accuracy of any statement made by Abbotsford City Hall officials and are instead demanding full disclosure and transparency.

Any semi-sane, semi-intelligent citizens want a hockey team in the Arena to reduce the operating deficits the taxpayers of Abbotsford will have to cover on Arena operations.

But given the lack of veracity in City Council and staff’s statements concerning the costs of this project and the number of items they failed to disclose until Freedom of Information requests were filed or the accurate numbers were revealed in another manner, it is hardly surprising citizens are highly sceptical of City promises.

No, citizens want to make sure it does succeed – and ensure that Council does not turn the Arena into anymore of a black hole for taxpayer dollars than they already have.