A Good Reason to Visit the Rendezvous Hotel: You Own It!

(Aired January 20, 2010)

I don't think anyone can argue that the province buying up the Rendezvous Hotel on West Victoria is not a positive.  That property was a pox on this city for a long time.  Now, starting in spring 2011, it will be a place that will offer hope to the most down-and-out in the community.

Some may argue about the location - on an entrance corridor into the city's downtown - but could you honestly think of a better spot?  And some may argue that 50 emergency shelter beds replacing the 46 already operating at the Men's Christian Hostel and Emerald House isn't a significant improvement.  But as Ken Salter from ASK Wellness said, every single bed counts, and what is really significant here is the transitional housing included.

There is one nagging question I'm left with, though.

Where did the province get the money?

The $832,000 purchase price is not a lot of money for this prime real estate, frankly.  It's not peanuts, either.  Today, Premier Campbell (a.k.a. Slash Gordon) announced more than 200 layoffs in two separate government ministries, a move that's indicative of how cash-strapped the province claims to be.  Local governments have been told not to hold their breath on too many special grants for the next few years.  Or think of trustees with the Kamloops-Thompson School District, who had their annual facilities grant cancelled last summer, and seem to be in bigger financial trouble every week.

I don't argue that buying the Rendezvous was a good use of public funds.  But what public funds?  I thought we were broke!