Editor:

I am one of many long time residents who have been seriously concerned about the lack of growth being generated in Gibsons Landing.

When we first lived in the Landing, we enjoyed the conveniences of two grocery stores, drug store, and hardware store, a bank, vet, etc, now none of those businesses are offered. The Landing area has been badly neglected over the last 12 years.

Yes, we are blessed with the natural beauty of the area we live in, but little has been done to maintain the essential services required for a vibrant thriving community to exist. Plantings and baskets, although attractive, do not replace needed essentials services such as banks, grocery stores. Because of the lack of services offered, locals and visitors alike do not find it convenient to shop in the Landing. Buildings standing empty, sometimes looking shabby, are not attractive to those of us who live here, and certainly not inviting to our visitors who leave their much needed tourist dollars behind.

We need to allow progress that allows for controlled, responsible, development of living spaces. This in turn will help provide the population to support the shops in Gibsons Landing. Development, in a controlled manner is a positive for the future of our beautiful town. It is time the continual nay-sayers, who often do not even reside in Gibsons, stop with their selfish, self-centered objections, to every single proposal for growth in Gibsons Landing. This unfortunate situation has been facing us for some time. The proposal for a hotel, convention centre, and residential complex is a great beginning to positive, responsible, growth for this area.

Please consider the importance of your local business community’s survival, when making your decision on this much-needed complex.

Sue Rhodes

Gibsons