Should the Tour de Delta continue, or should we let the event pedal on down the road?
That is the question that Delta council will be answering in the coming weeks as the fate for the 2022 event is decided.
The July weekend cycling event, that is part of B.C. Super Week, was paused in 2020 due to COVID-19 safety protocols. Now the potential 2022 event faces some uncertainty as the City of Delta weighs how much financial support it will provide. A reported $300,000 was spent in 2019.
Optimist readers have a divided opinion when it comes to the future of the Tour de Delta.
A recent online poll, conducted in late December, attracted 385 responses on what should happen to the event that features races in North Delta, Ladner and Tsawwassen.
The option “Yes the race has been good, but time to spend money on other things” led the way with 47.5 percent of the vote. However, the remaining 52.5 percent of readers believe it should be kept in some form.
The option of “No, I enjoy the races and it would be shame to see it end” attracted 41.5 percent of the total vote, while another 12 percent opted for “A scaled down version of the race is a viable option the City of Delta should consider.”
While this is a beloved, community event for many, the decision, in my view, is an easy one.
It’s time to move on from the Tour de Delta.
The price tag for this event is simply too high and with corporate and local sponsorship dollars virtually non-existent and in the face of growing economic challenges due to the pandemic, the City of Delta should be focusing its efforts – and its dollars – on upgrading its aging infrastructure and other vital local projects rather than on an event that attracts little to no economic benefit to the citizens or the business community.
The Tour de Delta was great, but it’s time to end this ride and move on.
