Letter to the Editor: Bonney Lake Does Not Need a YMCA

Editor's Note: This is a letter to the editor from Bonney Lake resident and Bonney Lake city council candidate . Please submit your letters to the editor to Lauren Padgett at lauren.padgett@patch.com

To Whom It May Concern:

In response to Mayor Neil Johnson’s remarks about the YMCA in Bonney Lake, An $8M dollar bond or more, as he so stated, could very well be used to build a community center in the city as the Park Board has suggested. The money would be paid for by the citizens of our city for a center that actually belongs to the city and citizens, 

The other thing that bites at my craw is that the YMCA represents Christian values and there are many different and varying religions in our area that don’t. Separation of church and state –A community center is based on all ethnic and religious backgrounds and has nothing to do with a Young Man’s Christian Association. 

Most of the YMCA’s in our area have the names of sponsors that are helping to fund the YMCA’s ie. Korum and possibly Corliss for Sumner’s. Why has our Mayor and Council not looked for sponsors of the YMCA on the plateau? Why are they insisting that the citizens pay for this YMCA with a bond? Why is the Mayor giving away part of the land for the 40 acre park in the WSU forest that belongs to the city?   Why is the council allowing a business going on Public facilities land? 

A community center in Bonney Lake would complement the YMCA in Sumner and would use the citizens of Bonney Lake money wisely.

Thank you

Quinn Dahlstrom