Tell us more about Olympic plans

I read the letter from Marianne Guy (Daily Herald, Nov. 23) regarding the equestrian venue in Lake County. Not knowing her, I will not question her motives in the letter.

I perceive it to be that we should put the facility anywhere and at any cost just to say that we had the Olympics here. That would be silly. We now know that Lakewood is unsuitable and the district finally admitted their "plans" were grossly flawed.

Many of her comments are incorrect, including comments she attributed to critics. She does not seem to understand the basis of the objections and oversimplified the issues. All of us believe that providing a proper facility with all of the right amenities can be provided in Lake County without using forest preserve land. This is also not a "freebie." It will require many acres of land that have cost taxpayers many millions of dollars. What is the cost and what is the value to the whole county?

The district's lack of openness and sincerity is very frustrating even to some of the commissioners who feel they are being excluded, making this look like another Chicago-style "cooked" political deal.

No newspapers would permit all of the space needed to explain all of the issues. If there is a plan and it is so good, let the public see it. Let the public vet it and refine it. I certainly don't trust government to tell me what is good, or even that they would know.

Even the idea of therapeutic riding is ambiguous. There are only 25 different categories of handicap therapies, each having different requirements.

While I support the idea of having the Olympics here, I will support it when it becomes a positive attribute to Lake County as a whole rather than a giant boondoggle based upon wishful thinking.

Jim Tarbet

Lake Zurich