I read with interest the letter sent by Murray Ostler. He totally expressed my views on our great town.
As a business owner, home owner, property owner and employer in this town for over 45 years, I have a vested interest in what happens in the downtown core, but let’s face it, we all do.
Originally the land filled area in question (Tyee Plaza parking lot) was granted to the plaza on the condition it be used for public parking.
That in fact was over 40 years ago, well now the downtown area needs that parking more than ever before and needs even more parking.
Some of the city owned’ land downtown should be used for parking spaces to ensure that the revitalization of the downtown core can and will succeed.
Build it and they will come, however they need to park.
The developer of the next condo/apt at Tyee Plaza maintains that once the lot is reconfigured, there will be 2 extra spots in addition to the 523 parking spots currently there.
How big will these parking stalls be?
I believe that the Discovery Inn owns 100 of these parking spaces, how many will be required for the condo/apt itself?
Ferry customers use this lot for overnight parking as well.
If a 2 hour limit is imposed, what happens then?
Where will the employees of the downtown core park for their 8+ hours.
Some of our city councillors want to move some local businesses to the proposed main floor of the next multi-use building.
Shame on them.
The businesses in question are now housed in commercial space owned by the city or the government.
It makes economic sense to pay rent???
Come on councillors, show some tough love for our fair town and stand up and be accountable to the citizens that voted for you. Do your job.
Moving the Tourist Information Center and Art Gallery into a rental building?
WOW.
When is the last time property taxes went down ... unheard of.
There were times not that long ago where they went sideways on property taxes.
With the present attitude, I’ll guarantee they will go up each and every year.
The Beech Street property owned by the city, which now houses a parking lot behind the old Post office (75/80 stalls) is being proposed to be sold for high density development.
Where are those people going to park?
Sell off other city owned property, not city property in the downtown area.
Refreshing the downtown is a great idea. Residential commercial and arts are a wonderful mix.
Spirit Square happenings are well attended now, if it reaches its potential which is huge, where are these folks going to park?
Great examples of well attended events in the downtown area are the Truck Parade, CR Car Shows and more.
As those on city council who love this town so much like I do, we need more tough love not soft love.
Tough love as shown by Larry Samson and Charlie Cornfield, who expressed their desire to wait for the parking study which is already underway at a taxpayer cost of thousands of dollars.
Soft love being the rest of council giving the developer full steam ahead, take no prisoners, just go for it.
Some developers stick around, others come and go and leave us with all the problems.
Ted Arbour
TAT Properties
Campbell River