Re: A second arts Centre would benefit Port Moody, letter to editor, Wednesday, Sept. 19.

While I agree with Ms. Kitching's letter subject, a second Arts Centre would benefit the city, I cannot agree with the city blindly approving a source of funding for it.

At present, the city has fully supported the grant application (they did so at the Sept. 11 council meeting), and the grant application clearly indicates a letter of support from the city will suffice. She is correct that the final amount of the grant is unknown at present, and will not be known until April 2013.

However it would be fiscally irresponsible for the city to pre-approve any amount until the grant application results are known.

In addition, the grant also includes a commitment by the city to cover operating costs to the tune of an estimated $84,000 per year for 10 years.

This total, plus the $330,000 already committed from the Heritage Reserve, brings it to over $1,100,000 ... and that's before the grant results are even known! In the end the totals could top well over $1.5 million.

It is true the city does spend considerable amounts of money on the library and soccer fields, some would say not enough with our growing population of young families.

Before hundreds of thousands (perhaps over a million) of dollars are spent, there should be consideration given to what type of return we will get from this project. And I am sorry, but "We are the City of the Arts" is not a valid reason to commit that amount of money.

Jason Hulbert Port Moody (member, City of Port Moody Finance Committee)