Parts of the Stanley Park seawall are being repaired, due in part to millions of dollars from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, a joint provincial and federal initiative announced last year as a way to get Canadians back to work in these tough economic times.

The money has been dedicated to what's called "shovel ready" projects that must be completed by next March, so the seawall was an ideal enterprise. The problem is this federal and provincial money is supposed to put Canadians back to work, not workers in China, which is where some of the granite for the project is coming from.

Nathan Raymond, operations manager of Coquitlam-based Bedrock Granite Sales, is angry his company lost the bid to supply the rock for the project from the company's quarry off the Sunshine Coast.

He told me the numbers have varied, but the last word he received from the park board is that the Chinese company can supply the rock for $45,000 less than his bid.

"What bugged us the most is that this is supposed to be part of an economic stimulus package," says Raymond. "But it's putting people to work overseas, when it could have been used here to get a couple of guys off [employment insurance.]"

It also makes me wonder how shipping granite over from China for this project fits into the city's commitment to becoming the "greenest in the world" by 2020.

Park board chair Aaron Jasper said the granite coming from China accounts for only four per cent of the entire $3.5 million project.

"That means 96 per cent of the materials and labour are local," he said.

Jasper adds the cost of the granite coming from China is just a fraction of what's included in the winning bid from Calgary-based Graham Infrastructure Ltd.

AUTONOMY ASSERTED

And while I had Jasper on the phone talking about granite, he took the opportunity to stress to me that the new park board general manager was in fact decided by the park board and that city manager Penny Ballem simply offered advice.

I suggested in Central Park last week that Ballem was likely in charge of the final decision, partly because the press release I received regarding the hire was signed solely by her, and also because of past history. Jasper says he also sent out a news release, but since I never received it I went with what I had.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

The city's newest community centre opened last week and the park board is offering promotions to get people in the door to check out the beautiful facility that overlooks the waterfront and mountains in Southeast False Creek.

For the rest of this week the fitness centre at the Creekside Community Recreation Centre, located at 1 Athletes Way near the Olympic Athlete's Village, is free, though the strength equipment hasn't arrived yet. Centre staff are also asking residents what they want for the centre's fall programs.

Anyone who drops by the front desk will receive a $5-off coupon towards registration for a fall or winter program

Hours of operation until mid-September are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends and holidays.

sthomas@vancourier.com