Editor:
I have never written a letter to the editor of a paper before, but I felt compelled to speak up after Coun. Mike Shanks felt he should do the same (Coast Reporter, Jan. 18).
I have lived in Sechelt for 20 years and have yet to understand how some people, like Mike Shanks, are extensively quoted or how negative letters get constantly printed in our local papers.
It's true that most tourists believe Sechelt to be a "pass through town" as Coun. Doug Hockley stated.
I do not have the answers to this problem, but I'll surmise the reasons might be the lack of economic development and imagination by previous councils, which included the likes of Mike Shanks as a council member (16 years' worth of experience, as he so triumphantly admits). Having watched Sechelt hardly grow over the years is like watching fruit die on the vine.
Our town could be so much better.
Thank goodness the Watermark project is being built. At the very least, it shows the interest of some brave investor. Thank goodness Target Marine did not just flip us the bird and leave. Thank goodness local businesses like Stockwell's gravel have not just given up, sold their property, and left.
Some people are not happy with any change, but Sechelt desperately needs it. Our community is in a crisis, change is needed for growth and prosperity so that we can manage our aging population in a sustainable manner by bringing jobs and opportunity to the Coast. We need a large, healthy, commercial base to bring money into our communities. I'm afraid that if we cannot support our local businesses who are trying to grow, then how will our children find decent-paying jobs here, what will we have left? It is called a ghost town.
Elizabeth Reid
Sechelt
