Well I just can’t sit on my hands and say nothing, especially when our great mayor needs defending.
Although the River Radio news was sympathetic that no one defended Walter Jakeway from Mr. Alan Edie’s verbal abuse, I do know that the Courier Islander’s and the Campbell River Mirror’s report in my opinion was not very favourable for our mayor and made Mr. Edie much too favourable in my opinion. Just prior to the Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 council meeting our mayor went through Mr. Edie’s Ironwood Mall, (on the outside of the construction fence), to have a viewing of the Development Permit on the council’s agenda, and for this he gets chastised for doing his job?
What the real problem is, is that Mr. Edie was already excavating well prior to the Development Permit being approved.
Well the next best defence is a good offence. Mr. Edie has enough experience to know that the mayor being in the storage business would have to take leave during the Development Permit discussion so he comes out verbally attacking our mayor and trying to make him look like the bad guy.
Does anyone on council defend the mayor? One of the councillors could have but the rest sure didn’t lead the way that’s for sure. It was like seeing five deer caught in the headlights by the way they reacted or didn’t react. I have to wonder, did any of the five other councillors go for a viewing? After his abuse then Mr. Edie throws in his good old hook, “I thought you said you were open for business”.
Needless to say the permit went through, five for and one against.
What some individuals oppose is not Mr. Edie’s project in itself but having this project right next to Nunns Creek, a salmon bearing stream in the “Salmon Capital of the World”. The Ironwood Mall parking lot drains into Nunns Creek and of course so will this newest project as they are using the existing pavement and drainage.
Next, others, (or the same), oppose having a storage facility next to commercially zoned property, especially in the immediate downtown area. I can’t imagine what is going through the zoning department’s heads.
Incidentally I’m also in the storage business, defending my competitor the mayor. I also have driven through the Ironwood Mall site a few times recently. I also attended the August 28 council meeting.
Ted Arbour
Campbell River