My point with the library's was that people bitch and complain for fiscal restraint when it doesn't serve their personal beliefs or agenda. With the libraries one is an example of a facility that meets the needs adequately, and no it isn't pretty but it serves the purpose, the other is something that the citizens can feel proud about even though some people believe its a waste of money. It's no different than the peace bridge, a simple bridge would have accomplished the same thing the peace bridge does... to cross the river.
But yet when it comes to an arena people draw a line because it somehow doesn't count towards civic pride, or doesn't serve the "right" tax payers needs. There are a lot of tax payers that used the dome and would use the new arena, be it hockey, lacrosse or concerts, tax payers would benefit from a new arena in the same way a tax payer would benefit from a upgrade library.
I personally have no problem with spending taxpayers money on projects (other than the blue ring), I will likely never use or even step foot in the new library, and I have yet to walk across the peace bridge, but if they give people a sense of civic pride awesome. I support using some public funds for the arena, in my eyes, the debate needs to be over how much and where, not yes or no.
Oh and this picture brings me as much pride in calgary...
as this...