In another great stride towards improving the student experience, the University of Toronto spent $25 million to rebuild the historic Varsity Stadium, equip it with the best all-weather turf in the world, and enclose it in winter with an air-supported, heated dome, scheduled primarily for student use. The new facilities were built at students’ requests, and planned with student input every step of the way. When the doors were opened, students came in throngs to cheer on their sports teams, participate in intramurals, to hit golf balls, to run, and to compete against other schools as the Varsity Blues.
Unfortunately, there are some students opposed to the notion of paying for the operating costs of the Varsity Centre. Most of these students base their opinions on inaccurate hearsay. Currently, we foot the bill for the Varsity Centre’s operational costs. The purpose of the plebiscite is to estimate whether students wish to continue paying for operating costs through ancillary fees. Regardless of the outcome, athletic fees will increase by about two per cent per full-time St. George campus student, due to inflation. In case you are wondering, we cannot vote on inflation.
UTSU VP university affairs Michal Hay’s recent comments regarding the Varsity Centre are incredibly misleading. First, the 2002 referendum differs from this year’s plebiscite. In 2002, students voted No to a Varsity Centre proposal that asked students to fund both the capital and operational costs of the Varsity Centre. Since 2002, the Faculty of Physical Education and Health has worked to raise the funds to cover all capital costs. Students benefit from a world-class athletic facility only having to contribute to the operational costs.
I find it duplicitous that Hay is currently a member of the No Levy campaign. Remember the plebiscite for the student commons? It asked students to contribute both capital and operational costs through a student levy. Michal was a supporter of the Yes campaign at that time. Considering his position as VP university affairs on UTSU, Hay’s public support of the No Levy campaign impairs UTSU’s ability to run a fair and unbiased plebiscite. It also undermines the integrity of the upcoming vote.
The obvious facts are still apparent: these athletic facilities are used by over 10,000 intramural participants, tens of thousands of students, and over 800 varsity athletes. Unquestionably, the facility is not used by everyone, but neither is Hart House, U of T Health Services, or Student Affairs. The funding of these services is based on the democratic principle that services are more equitably accessible when the costs are shared amongst the population. Students lobbies for reductions to the cost of education are created through taxpayer-funded government subsidies. I hope that I am not the only one who sees the hypocrisy of some of the Varsity Centre naysayers. Support your fellow students, and vote Yes to keep the Varsity Centre an equally accessible space for all.
Steven Greening is the Equity Officer and C.A.R. Representative on the Physical Education and Health Undergraduate Association
