Dear editor,

What does $5,000 get you these days?

Well, for mayors and former mayors 鈥� a whole lot of bling. I am referring to the $5,000 Bates and Moncrief in all their wisdom decided it was necessary to spend on a necklace.

According to Bates, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be looked at as a backwards community.鈥�

Me, I鈥檝e never perceived Cumberland as 鈥渂ackwards.鈥� Unique, well-situated, alive with young people coming here to take advantage of our mountain biking and hiking trails, yes 鈥� backwoods, maybe.

But 鈥渂ackwards?鈥� And all for lack of a $5,000 necklace?

Now me, I see $5,000 as enough money for a skatepark. Truly.

Recently, while at the skatepark at the LINC Centre in Courtenay, I noticed a wood half pipe and skate ramp for sale for $500. I thought if you put that on a flatbed, brought it to Cumberland, put it in a park under a roof supported by a few posts 鈥� voila! 鈥� a skatepark.

And with any support from the community (which has always been tremendous in this regard 鈥� Coal Hills BMX being a prime example and something the mayor is quite content to put a road through), additional ramps, etc. could be built for an even bigger skatepark.

A unique skatepark, something our youth can take pride in and enjoy.

Next time you are feeling low self-esteem, Fred, may I suggest a toup茅e or a red sports car 鈥� it will be your dime, not ours, the taxpayers鈥�.

The only backwards here is the continuing lack of imagination displayed by a mayor and a former mayor.

Grant Shilling,

Cumberland