Your interesting editorial (February edition) brings an ironic situation to mind.
In Toronto we have a mayor who extols the virtues of a healthy and active lifestyle but, sad to say, all the hype can be dismissed as vacuous pronouncements.
With the amalgamation of surrounding cities came unexpected user fees. I played badminton for 30-plus years at a club that used the gym in a nearby school, and members paid a nominal $30 for the season. With amalgamation, the cost went up to $350. Seniors promptly quit in disgust. I and some others moved to a club in Mississauga that is user-friendly towards seniors, and the annual fee for a whole year of play – not just the season – is only $45.
We are not unmindful of the fact that it is our taxes that keep sustaining the schools in Toronto, and it is tantamount to taxing us twice to use the facilities after school hours. Also, although our children left school ages ago, we, the seniors, still continue to pay education tax and get nothing in return.
Armand Rodrigues
Toronto
