Editor:
I refer to the Lakes District News edition of June 20, 2012 and the article ‘Downtown design changes fall on deaf ears.’
With due respect to Coun. Frank Varga, the owners of buildings are not necessarily directly impacted by the changes proposed since their interest is generally as recipients of rental income.
It might also be suggested that council is planning another change, but has not said anything about it yet in view of the arrangements to be made. They plan on changing the weather pattern from late October until mid April so there will be no snow fall on Hwy. 16 between the Heritage Centre building and the Royal Bank.
Snow removal along that particular piece of highway presents its own difficulties, as I'm sure any highway crews or village workers would attest. Adding further obstructions will only aggravate the difficulties and, one might suggest, add additional safety concerns.
Heavy traffic, until such a time as there is a by-pass, is not going to diminish.
Heavy industrial traffic, some of which is wide and oversized, not withstanding logging industry vehicles, is just as congested in the winter months, perhaps even more so, as mining and exploration camps open up for winter activity.
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for beautifying the village and some great work has already been done. But, having looked at the plan, it is the wrong place to make such a change.
If the same time, effort and money had been spent in discussion with CN in planning beautification along the tracks where the train comes into town, it would have been more productive than making what is already a parking, traffic movement and snow removal problem worse.
The only difference between putting a facsimile of a pine beetle on the, now defunct, interpretive centre building roof and this scheme is the cost, one way or another, to tax payers.
This scheme is way more expensive.
Faithfully,
Ray Fletcher