To the editor:
When our grandparents or great grandparents came to Thunder Bay, what do you think their dreams were?
Do you think it was endless amounts of paved roads and an abundance of methadone clinics? Do you think that they couldn’t just wait to wake up to envision a better waste management program and oooooh that sweet, sweeeet feeling you get when you wake up first thing pondering I-N-F-R-A-S-T-R-U-C-T-U-R-E, yessss I can’t wait. Or how about a dose of a population that doesn’t know how to combat anxiety, depression, and higher suicide rates? Mental instability? Hey sign my children up! Yes, this will make my future family happy!
Or… do you think they genuinely just wanted us to have a life different from theirs, a fulfilling happy life, full of health and opportunity. Go ahead, ask them.
The indoor turf facility is so much more than what people think it is. For the money that is being put into it, it is an emotional, physical, and mental asset to this city that will pay off immediately and will be compounded as years go by for our youth and adults. Fact, there are a lot of people who don’t want this to go through (as per online polls). Fact, there are a lot of people that want this to go through (as per online polls). Don’t let the angry section of the negative nancy crew on Facebook everyday fool you. Don’t be afraid of the people lashing out yelling taxes all day long when that is their only rebuttal. I can appreciate people who have a differing opinion, but when the negative nancy’s are attacking others with their anger and cheap insults for something that’s positive in our city, it’s kind of frustrating.
We pay taxes for so many things... why when it comes to tackling anxiety, depression, mental illness, physical fitness, mental stability, confidence… why is it that people fight so much against it? The turf facility is just that, a place 8 months out of the year where anyone in Thunder Bay can improve their mental, physical and emotional health.
“Go for a run,” “Go for a hike,” “Go play outside then!” I can hear so many people shouting this out as they’re reading this. To those of you I say, you honestly don’t understand the importance of socialization, connection, being apart of a team, engaging in an environment where you’re working together. Connection, it’s a huge component of health, happiness, and mental health.
You want to combat depression? You want to combat suicides? You want to combat anxiety? Do you want to be happy and have your mind clear? Do you want to feel good and be fit? Do you want to combat all these issues starting with our children going all the way up to adulthood?
The turf facility is where a huge population will go to do that, to get healthy, to stay healthy, and to be happy. Don’t mock the sentiment of that statement. It’s not fluff. It’s reality.
So instead of sitting at home right now for the 14th day in a row spewing negative angry attacks to people on Facebook who are advocating for something that is positive and will provide an environment to be healthy, maybe you’ll actually just take a moment to respect the fact that the many people who want this facility, care for the people as a whole in this city.
And no… it’s been five years, no more waiting. Build it now.
Rob Menei,
Thunder Bay
