So Say KJR to The Editor of
The Inverness Courier, New Century House
Stadium Road, Inverness IV1 1FF
Dear Editor
Seventy years ago, I can recall open air curling being played at Aberlour, over 62 years ago, I recall myself Dutch-Runner speed skates skating on the grand canal reaching the close by lake in Klagenfurt, Austria, 55 years ago ice-hockey skating at the ice-rink in Streatham, London, and today I read in the Helen Paterson article “…hopes for Ice centre” that was established in backward Inverness only 40 years ago.
The reading of the Paterson article makes me feel proud of those involved in keeping this winter sport going for so long in an overlong climate of feeling the hardships of the poll tax wimps brigade, and of the nation calling each other an inanimate object such as a chair, akin to a table, or even a stool, anathema to live people (not persons) in the human race.
I concur with your “Leader Legacy” and the signs not being promising for the Highlands of Inverness becoming part of the - London 2012 Olympic Games.
However, let’s not bury our heads in the sands. It’s blatantly clear that Highland Council has for far too long been inept at administering sports and arts here in Inverness and beyond in the Highlands – please don’t fool the people about reminding them about the enormously vast fortune spent on Eden Court Theatre – it won’t work.
Anyone who oversee the drawing of our Nessie looking silly crawling underground in the dirt under our famous canal, not leaving him or her to live quietly at home in our famous Loch Ness is not the fellow or Party that I would back to govern our city bearing in mind the past neglect it’s people has had to endured of those many years due to their inept ruling.
As Edinburgh and Glasgow are receiving the bulk of arts funding, and that First Minister Alex Salmond would dearly like to claim North Sea oil as Scotland’s, but splitting Scotland up into two countries The Highland & Islands on the one hand, and The Lowlands on the other in this regard, then if such favouritism is to continue I say to First Minister Alex Salmond that the North Sea oil belongs to the Highlands and not the Lowlands. Are we for a two parts, or for a whole independent Scotland?
Look, surely we can do likewise for the city of Invernes.
Somehow - I much expect that we can't.
Yours sincerely,
Ian King, Kings Jazz Review (KJR)
1 Ardross Court, 20 Ardross Street, Inverness,
The Highlands & Islands of Scotland. - Wednesday the 27th of August 2008