The Editor,

Re: "Arts council 'not dead,' just homeless in Delta," the Now, Jan. 27.

As a former director of the Delta Arts Council (DAC) and chair of the Delta Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission, I am deeply saddened and upset by the recent decision to place the Delta Arts Council and its volunteers out in the street.

While the arts council and Delta are attempting to reconcile a new delivery of arts, let us not forget that the real termination notice was slapped on the DAC in late 2009, when the B.C. Liberal government slashed the DAC's annual B.C. Lottery grant subsidy of $50,000. Since then, the DAC has been on a downward spiral.

A community's passion and vibrancy can be determined by its commitment to the arts. The Liberal government does not understand that the DAC is not a luxury or a frill; it enriches our community, promotes social well-being, and strengthens our economies.

British Columbia has the lowest per capita funding for the arts in all of Canada, and according to the Liberal government's own report, for every $1 invested; there is a $1.36 return.

Hopefully, the municipality and DAC will be able to find a way to provide a meaningful solution to keep the arts, visual and performing, alive in Delta until a new provincial government can put its attention back to our communities, children and families.

Guy Gentner, MLA, Delta North