BY VOICE STAFF
On the heels of a "sneak peek" of the new Meridian Community Centre offered a week ago Saturday to Pelham residents, last week we asked readers about their attitudes toward the facility. We asked: It's been two years since Pelham Town Council voted to authorize a twin-pad arena community centre. Knowing what you know now about the project, the issues surrounding its financing, and its impact on other Town services, has your attitude about the community centre changed?
Overall, very few respondents said that their attitudes had changed with time—whether originally supporting or opposing the East Fonthill project. Approximately 6 in 10 were originally opposed to any centre, or are now opposed to the centre as designed. Approximately 4 in 10 are wholly or partly supportive of the centre as designed.
A much starker divide appears when questioned about the centre's long-term value.
By nearly 2-to-1, respondents say that the centre will cause significant financial strain on the Town and was not worth the cost to build.
Although safeguards are in place to discourage multiple votes, this is a self-selected poll, meaning it has no scientific validity compared to formal surveys by established polling firms. By press time on Monday, 102 votes were cast. Numbers shown indicate both votes cast and approximate percentages.
