It is pleasing to see how well the new padel court in Reyðarfjörður has been received. According to a report in Austurfréttar, the court is already well booked and it is clear that there is a lot of interest. This shows that people in Fjarðabyggð calls for more diverse recreation, more opportunities for exercise, and increased human life in our society.
Such projects do not come about by themselves, they come about when people show initiative and are willing to contribute to society. It is also nothing new for the municipality to support projects that strengthen the community, leisure and sports activities. Examples include the rental of Félagslund in Reyðarfjörður at one time and Valhöll in Eskifjörður. It is therefore neither new nor unusual for the municipality's assets to be rented out for social projects and activities. In this case, it is a private initiative where an individual undertakes a significant investment to build new facilities. The municipality enters into a lease agreement for the premises and thereby obtains better use of a property that was previously used to a limited extent.
You can always discuss amounts in lease agreements, and it's natural for people to have opinions about them. But the question is also this: Should we have discouraged an individual who wanted to invest in our community, create new entertainment, and contribute to human life?
This is the first padel court outside the capital area. It is no small matter. This is an expensive investment and it is obvious that no one will get rich from running one padel court in Reyðarfjörður. The project is primarily about interest, initiative and the desire to make the community more diverse and fun.
Most importantly, it adds new opportunities for children, young people and families to exercise and socialize. Such projects make communities stronger and more desirable places to live.
The padel court also does not prevent a swimming pool in the future, if that is the municipality's wish. But it is also important to speak frankly about the situation. It was quite clear that a new or improved swimming pool in Reyðarfjörður would not be built in the coming years, given the municipality's investment capacity and the maintenance that is already underway, despite the fact that it has been increased in recent months. No party has spoken in favor of such construction being around the corner.
Meanwhile, we are seeing increased use of the gym, new recreational opportunities, and more opportunities for our community. We should celebrate it, just as our youth are already doing.
We should celebrate people who show initiative and are willing to contribute to development in Fjarðabyggð Fortunately, most people do.
The author is the leader of the Independence Party in Fjarðabyggð .