Sir: Regarding the editorial that appeared in The Chatham Voice Jan. 14 entitled, “What have we learned?”
It seems that what we haven’t learned is the difference between the University of Guelph – Ridgetown and St. Clair College. In particular, the comment, “The landscape of Chatham-Kent is littered with the wreckage of college programs that didn’t quite pan out.”
You point out the James A. Burgess Skills Centre (Wallaceburg), the St. Clair College Golf School, the St. Clair College Bakery and downtown campus, and of course the St. Clair College Capital Theatre.
I know the University of Guelph’s place in the greater Chatham-Kent is viewed as that “Cow College,” even by some councillors of the great C-K. It, however, is an institute of higher learning in an area that is dominated by agriculture. I don’t see any of the “wreckage” pointed out in this editorial having anything to do with the University of Guelph. What is wrong in many minds is that it is not in the neighbourhood of Chatham.
When the university was expanding a few years ago, needing more residence space, it ended up doing it themselves, even though a company from Chatham had a vision of a better space, albeit not finished on time and lacking many things that student residences need, like parking.
The University of Guelph appears to know how to run their business, much better than St. Clair and our councillors do.
Based on the opinion expressed in this editorial, the Chatham-Kent council and Mayor should turn their backs on anything coming from St. Clair College and not tar the University of Guelph with that brush.
Jerry Hind
Chatham-Kent
